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Selda (Filipino) [The Inmate]

By Golu
By now I have seen plenty of films which are prison based where a supposedly straight guy gets protection in prison by another man in return for sexual favors and the story goes on in some direction. I am actually stating to get tired of this genre. This is one more film in the same space, albeit slightly different in its approach.

Rommel is young man who accidentally is responsible for death of a young boy and is sent prison for that. He makes friends with his cell mates including Esteban a tough but fair-minded man who is considered the unofficial mayor of the cell block. Rommel is raped one day and from then Esteban sort of becomes his protector. When Rommel sees the rapist torturing another boy, he kills humbug Esteban takes blame on himself. This leads to a sexual night between Rommel and Esteban. Rommel is released soon and seven years later, he is happy living with his wife and daughter in a village farming. When Esteban is released, he visits Rommel and unofficially starts staying with them creating a weird relationship between husband and wife. Though neither does anything, there is a sense of jealousy. Rommel wants Esteban as much as the latter but he has made a commitment to his family and he doesn't want to sway from it. An accident happens in a fit of rage, forcing Esteban to leave the couple in peace alone together.

Firstly, please don not expect much gay content or storyline here. I debated whether I should Revie it here because it's really not a gay film. Yes, the sexual relationship happened one night between the two men and Esteban comes looking for him many years later to rekindle their "love" but the film is much more beyond that. The film tries to explore the grim realities of prison life and what happens to people in and out of prison. The film was strictly average for me. I am not sure what was the purpose of showing more than a few sex scenes in dreams for Rommel while he was in prison. I didn't get it. Secondly, the film is almost 2.5 hours in length and takes forever to finish. Acting by two male leads in the only thing to look forward to. The problem is between expectations and realities. The synopsis makes you believe its the story of unrequited love between two male prison inmates, meanwhile that is not true at all. The end product is not bad, but when it is not what you were told it is; there is bound to be disappointment. (3/10)
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