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In this age where most "love" can be found infront of a digital gizmo, Northern Lights: A Journey to Love swerves a bit with a different glow.

Filipino families are well known for their bond and strong family ties. The story presents the struggles of children from a broken home.

Charlie Jr., prepared a lot of questions for a father he is meeting for the first time in 9 years where his father, Charlie Sr., was uncomfortable to comment. Another Filipino value interjected was the mindset that children will never understand, or too early for them to understand.

Angel on the other hand, was too convinced that it was not her mother's fault that they ended up without a mom. His father also never mentioned it to them so as not to disparage their mom. Truth can be terminal.

Forgiveness. A lesson that is too difficult devour but simplifies life.

On The Job begins with clips of recent news going on in the Philippines. As the movie gets timely, it holds an aura of not being sensational. With the issues confronting the country the film's significance is impossible to notice. It illustrates how the politicians and criminals work hand in hand to achieve power, position and money.

Director Erik Matti gave in to a political underground story this time dealing with authority, politicians and position but his signature with how the Filipino family bond has never changed. Thanks to our corrupt penal system they're regularly let out of prison to act as contract killers with the perfect alibis.

Though the film was slow at first, it maneuvers to cover each and every aspect of the story. Tatang (Joel Torre), a prisoner-hit-man who eventually turned insecure when his boss Thelma informed that he can't work full time due to his age portrays more than the murder. The darkness in his eyes conveyed more about his character than the conversations did. His assistant Daniel (Gerald Anderson) played a very talkative rookie following Tatang's footsteps. His character was more of a naive prisoner who has a bit of an attitude. These two characters played major role as prisoners who gets out from jail time to time killing. As inmates, they share the father and son relationship.

The film was widely arranged where jail wardens also act as accomplices.

The cast of SPO1 Acosta (Joey Marquez) was played brilliantly. An SPO1 with 35 years of service stayed as SPO1 since he turned out to have the cleanest conscience. Integrity was challenged when he became the aid of Francis Colonel Jr. (Piolo Pascual) who takes part by being an NBI agent who's entrapped by being an excellent cop, compromised by being a son- in-law of a politician (Michael Demesa) indirectly involved with the killings masterminded by Gen. Pacheco (Leo Martinez).

The love scenes portrayed were also timely and sensible still; the story remains intact despite the diversions. Angel Aquino, Rayver Cruz and Lito Pimentel also delivered well.

"On the Job" is a cynical, realistic portrait of PHL politics and crime.

Be warned: the film does not end on a hopeful note. It may even make you rather sad and ashamed at how real the film feels, especially in light of the country's current events.

But when people urge you to watch On the Job, do it. A film like this, an uncompromising commercial success, hasn't happened in a long time, though now that it has, our standards are irrevocably raised. - Adobo

All we need to do now is to wait for the film's international version.