By Ruel J. Mendoza
Pinuri ng nagbabalik na film director na si Mike de Leon ang broadcast journalist na si Atom Araullo sa debut performance nito sa kanilang pelikulang “Citizen Jake.”
Ani de Leon sa isang Facebook post, “substantial” ang kontribusyon ni Araullo sa pelikula.
“As an actor I believe he did a good job and I won’t say the usual ‘in spite of…’ There were scenes where he acted unevenly but there were also scenes, many of them major, where he was terrific; perfect for the role of Jake, the self-absorbed millennial…”
Ang nakapagtataka, tila baga ayaw na makatrabaho muli ng direktor si Araullo na sa tingin niya, ganu’n din naman ang gusto.
Saad niya, “I think Atom and I are both relieved to close the book on this collaboration and finally get out of each other’s lives. What is important in the unique world of cinema is that ‘Citizen Jake’ has now acquired a life of its own, separate from us.”
Maanghang din ang binitawang salita ng director ukol sa kalidad ni Araullo bilang journalist.
“I have known and worked with outstanding journalists before when I was politically active during the latter years of the Marcos era. I only realized later that Atom’s journalism was not exactly the kind of journalism I had in mind.
It’s not the gritty kind but more of the celebrity-centered schlock that sometimes verges on entertainment, even showbiz.”
Dagdag pa niya, “Looking back, I can see why he wanted to become a movie actor. Perhaps the journalist was really a closet movie star.”
