RK Bagatsing (Facebook)

Rey Valera offers quite a valid reason why he agreed to do a movie based on his life story. Upcoming biopic, "Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko (The Music of Rey Valera)," is one of eight official entries to the inaugural Summer Metro Manila Film Festival. “In my own little way, I want to provide inspiration to young people who may feel lost or challenged by life’s adversities,” the veteran singer-composer told a media conference March 25, hours before we previewed the film at Gateway. From the get-go, we are exposed to Valera’s tearjerker of a childhood, coming from a broken home, shuttling from town to town, like a pingpong ball thrown freely in a dusty court on the roadside. All that constant moving made him an outcast, with no genuine friends to speak of. Yet, the boy was a dreamer, gifted with music in his heart. He observed people up close, listened to their stories, and wrote songs about them. He grew up to be the Rey Valera, hit maker behind at least 18 songs (a conservative estimate), an OPM icon. Think "Malayo Pa Ang Umaga,"; "Mr. DJ,"; "Pangako Sa'Yo,; "Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo,"; "Maging Sino Ka Man,"; "Kung Kailangan Mo Ako," and many others. “After watching my story, I hope young people will realize that success can also smile at those who are like shy nerds in childhood. They just have to work on their faith,” he said.
xxx "Kahit Maputi Na” is presented by director Joven Tan in the manner of a quasi-documentary narrated by Rey himself. Playing his role is RK Bagatsing, supported by an all-star cast that includes Christopher de Leon, Rosanna Roces, Aljur Abrenica, Gardo Versoza, Ariel Rivera, Gelli de Belen, etc. The spiels, which are all over the movie, tend to tell, not show, the essence of certain scenes in his life. It’s a good thing that the hit songs of Valera are, in themselves, a delight to listen to, as they have been humming in our hearts and minds for decades. We actually enjoyed the extended music videos that flowed one after another. Tan’s operatic device allowing actors to lip-sync is a smart way to illustrate Valera’s songwriting inspirations and skill at his craft. Tighter editing, however, could have saved Rey Valera the embarrassment of exposing his middle part as he bridged the gaps in the narrative. Like the vintage gentleman that he is, Rey took it all good-natured, and in great humor, warning us from the very start, “Makikita nýo diyan ang tiyan ko.”