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On the Job: The Missing 8

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox film

| name = On the Job: The Missing 8

| image = On the Job The Missing 8 poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Venice poster

| native_name =

| director = Erik Matti

| producer =

| writer = Michiko Yamamoto

| screenplay =

| story =

| starring =

| music =

| cinematography = Neil Derrick Bion

| editing = Jay Halili

| studio = {{Plainlist|

*Reality MM Studios

*Globe Studios

}}

| distributor =

| released =

| runtime = 208 minutes

| country = Philippines

| language = Filipino

| budget =

| gross =

}}

'On the Job: The Missing 8' (also known as 'On the Job 2' or 'OTJ 2') is a 2021 Filipino crime thriller film directed by Erik Matti and written by Michiko Yamamoto. The sequel to the 2013 film 'On the Job', it tells the story of a journalist (played by John Arcilla) who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his colleagues, and a prisoner (played by Dennis Trillo) who is temporarily freed to carry out assassinations.

The film premiered on September 10, 2021, at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, where it entered the Main Competition for the Golden Lion and won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for John Arcilla. It was released as a miniseries for HBO Asia (alongside the first film as the first two episodes) called 'On the Job'.

Plot summary



Sisoy Salas, a corrupt reporter for a local newspaper, is forced to start an investigation following the disappearance of his colleagues and pits him against his personal interests. Meanwhile, Roman Rubio, an inmate who is routinely released from prison to carry out assassinations, is sentenced to life in prison for a crime he did not commit and, not wanting to spend the rest of his life as a hitman, begins to plan ways to regain his freedom by any means necessary.

Cast



*John Arcilla as Sisoy Salas

*Dennis Trillo as Roman Rubio

*Dante Rivero as Mayor Pedring Eusebio

*Christopher de Leon as Arnel Pangan

*Lotlot de Leon as Weng

*Leo Martinez as Gen. Pacheco

*Agot Isidro as Senator Alice Samson

*Andrea Brillantes as Diane Salas

*Rayver Cruz as Bernabe

*Joey Marquez as Sgt. Joaquin Acosta

Wendell Ramos, Ricky Davao, William Martinez, Vandolph Quizon, Eric Fructuoso, Ina Feleo, Isabelle de Leon, Megan Young, and Soliman Cruz are all cast in undisclosed roles.

Production



Director Erik Matti had originally intended the 'On the Job' sequel to be a web series, until it was reported in 2018 that he was making it a feature-length sequel instead. With 'On the Job 2', Matti wanted to tackle corruption in the Philippine media and deliver a social commentary on the current state of the Philippine government. According to Matti, the film will pick up where the original left off and will feature four interwoven storylines in "a three-hour and 28-minute movie". Erwin Romulo, reprising his role from the first film as musical director, has said 'On the Job 2' is Matti's "angriest work". Matti agreed, having told 'NME' in a February 2021 interview:

I think for 'On The Job', I guess yes, it's the angriest I've been. But what I do mostly in my films is to explore. I'm interested in processes: how does a newspaper get its news? How does one build a church in the guise of getting money from its parishioners? Those are things that matter to me. There's a lot of research that went into it. Of course, we found out that in small towns mainly you have politicians taking care of newspapers and radio stations, and that's where the problems with self-interest come in.


Dennis Trillo, Lotlot de Leon, Ricky Davao, William Martinez, John Arcilla, Dante Rivero, Vandolph Quizon, and Eric Fructuoso were reported to have joined the cast in 2018. In 2019, Rayver Cruz, Christopher de Leon, Soliman Cruz. Ina Feleo, Isabelle de Leon, and Andrea Brillantes were announced as co-stars. Filming began that same year, and was completed in August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-production was completed in June 2021, lasting for "around seven months".

Release



The film was screened for the main competition of the 78th Venice International Film Festival, with Matti and Trillo in attendance. It received a 5-minute standing ovation during the premiere. During the awards ceremony, John Arcilla won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, with Arcilla (who didn't attend due to filming commitments in 'FPJ's Ang Probinsyano') giving his acceptance speech via online video call and Matti physically accepting the award on his behalf.

The film has also been officially invited in 'Harbour' section at the 51st International Film Festival Rotterdam to be held from January 26 to February 6, 2022.

Miniseries



'On the Job' is a six-part Philippine miniseries created & developed by Erik Matti for HBO Asia Originals. It was adapted from the two 'On the Job' films: the 2013 film and its sequel 'The Missing 8', both of which are directed by Matti. The first two episodes of the miniseries are a re-edited and remastered version of the first film.

Reception



Critical response

Both the film and miniseries have received largely positive reviews from critics. Writing for 'Variety', Jessica Kiang called the film "a sprawling, satisfying big-screen binge." Keith Uhlich, of 'The Hollywood Reporter', praised the film's set pieces but criticized some of the film's stylistic choices. In a review of the HBO miniseries, Marcus Goh of 'Yahoo News' praised the dramatic elements of the series and its handling of characters, concluding that "the Philippines can be a strong contender for Asian crime thrillers, rivalling that of more established places like Hong Kong."

Accolades



John Arcilla won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on 11 September 2021 for his performance in this movie.

Sequel



Matti revealed that a second sequel is in the works, which will feature "characters from the first two [instalments]" and "might be the end of the franchise".

References




Buy On the Job: The Missing 8 now from Amazon

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