The Fabulous Filipino Brothers (2021) - full transcript

Follows four brothers and their shenanigans.

[silence]

[electronic music playing]

[plane engine roaring]

["Work It Out" by happy sad face playing]

[soft vocalizing]

♪ I miss you ♪

♪ I need you ♪

♪ Can't wait till I can see you ♪

♪ I love that ♪

♪ I hate you ♪

♪ Can't wait till we're together ♪



♪ Do you really think
We can work it out? ♪

♪ I don't really think
We can work it out ♪

♪ If you really think we can work it out ♪

♪ Baby, come right here ♪

♪ Let's work it out ♪

♪ Work it out on me, baby ♪

♪ Work it out on me… ♪

[narrator] This is a story
about four brothers.

It's a love story, kinda.

It's their quest to get it,
keep it, and maintain it.

You know, that white picket fence thing.

Or, in this case, brown bamboo fence?

-Hey. Babe.
-You're so late.

-I'm so sorry.
-That's okay, everybody's waiting.



Okay, thank you. Thank you so much.

-Pop!
-Hello. Hey, you're late.

I know, I know, I know, I know.

There's just been,
I have so much going on.

[narrator] If you didn't get it
by now, they're Filipino.

Specifically, Filipino-American.

In some ways, it's the same,

and in other ways, very different.

Generous by nature, Filipinos adapt
to their surroundings more than most.

I mean… I mean, it makes sense.

They've been occupied by
the Americans, the Japanese…

Heck, the country is named after
King Philip II of Spain.

[woman] Hey!

[narrator] It's probably why
we say "bahala na" so much.

Come what may.

Anyway, point being,
Filipinos are a weird mix.

Like, they're Asians,
but, like, the other Asians.

Which is kind of fitting,
since this story takes place in Pittsburg.

The other Pittsburg, without the "H."

Pittsburg, California.

I know, I know, but I'm right on time.

[speaking Tagalog]

-You have your brothers waiting.
-I know, I know.

[narrator] And this tale begins at
a classic Filipino tradition, a wedding.

-All right, here we go.
-[glasses clinking]

-Let's go, it's a big day.
-Cheers. Big day.

[glasses thudding]

-[sighs happily]
-Ah!

-Whoa.
-Amazing.

[narrator] Brothers have
a unique relationship.

Longest relationship
most have in their lives.

They know each other
better than anyone else,

but they couldn't be more different.

[brothers chattering]

Look, don't get me wrong.

They're thick as thieves
and they love each other immensely.

But there are unspoken agreements

that deprive them from fully developing
that keeps them in their lanes.

The reliable one,

the lucky one,

the funny one,

the dark one.

-[dishes clattering]
-Hey, Pop.

Good morning, everyone.

[speaking Tagalog]

[speaking Tagalog]

[Emily] You can't speak, fool.

Where are you guys coming from?

-From church.
-It's Friday.

They go to church on Friday now.

But I thought she went to church
on Sundays and Wednesdays.

-Yeah, well, she goes on Fridays now too.
-Man, they be going almost every day.

I think she thinks she's gonna die soon,

and I think she thinks this is
her ticket to get into heaven.

-That's not how it works.
-Oh, I know, I tried to tell her.

[man] Hey, guys.

Somebody has to take Lola
to her dialysis later.

[Doris] I got her on the way to work,
but somebody's got to pick her up.

-David, pick up grandma.
-What? I um...

You ain't doing shit, so you pick up Lola.

Let me check my schedule.

Pass the Ensenada.

-What'd you say?
-Pass the Ensenada.

What are you talking about, man?
This is called pandesal.

-Same thing.
-Uh, no it ain't.

-They're bread.
-Huh?

-[man 1] Shut up.
-[man 2] You shut up.

Okay, okay stop it. Look.

One is bread that's kind of sweet
and has cheese on top.

The other one is regular bread,
all right? You take it,

you open it in half like that,
you put the longganisa inside, see?

Okay, yeah, okay that's cool,
but I want the Ensenada.

Pass the Ensenada.

Ensaymada. Ensenada is in Mexico.

-That's what I said.
-No you didn't, fool.

[brothers' mom] Hey, boys,
I just talked to Tita Flor,

and they're looking for a new president
for the Fil-American Association.

Oh, Ma, work's been crazy.

[Dayo] Yeah, Ma,
the kids are doing a lot of sports.

Hey, Ma, David would be good.

-You think I could win?
-David? No, no, no, David.

-[brothers' mom] This is our community.
-[laughs]

You practically grew up there
singing and dancing.

A representative from our family
would be good as a way to give back.

As it is, you guys don't even Tagalog.

I know, it's partly our fault.

It's not our fault.
They didn't wanna learn.

[brothers' mom] You know, I just
don't want you guys to lose touch. Okay?

Hey, you will have to order the lechon.

Hey, Mom and Dad
can't afford to pay for all this.

It's gonna be expensive.

You know, I ain't got much, man,
but I'm gonna be there.

-Yeah?
-Yeah, I'm gonna help out and whatnot.

Hey, look, it's not that big a deal.
It's just a little party.

-It's a wedding, people have to eat.
-Oh, and drink.

-How many people we talking?
-God, who knows?

-I don't know who mom invited.
-Um, everyone.

-For sure.
-Whoa, whoa, wait, so then that's like…

-Uncle Jake, Uncle Dom, Uncle Boy.
-And their wives.

And kids.

Then you got Auntie Dulce,
Auntie Pinky, Auntie Barbara.

-And their husbands.
-And kids.

That's Dad's side. Mom's side?

Oh, then you got Auntie Bernie,
Auntie Nita, Auntie Elsie, and Uncle Chet.

[David] And?

[woman] And their husbands
and wives and kids, yeah.

[David] Well then, damn, that's,
like, over 100 people already.

[Doris] And don't forget about
her friends and family.

Fuck, that's a lot of people.

David, you gonna bring someone?

You better not be bringing any hoes.

Guess not.

Okay, so we're going to need
a lot of food.

We're going to need two lechons.

-Yo, let's just make this a potluck.
-It's a wedding.

We can't have people just
bringing their own stuff.

You don't know what the hell
they're gonna bring.

You know what? I got the food.

-What?
-No, no, no, no, we're all gonna chip in.

Right? Right?

Huh?

No, no, no, bro. I said I'ma
take care of it I'll take, I got you.

No, I mean, it's gonna be expensive.
I can help pay up for the food.

-That's over 100 people.
-[brother] It's gonna be a lot of money...

No, look, I said I was gonna
take care of the food.

I'ma take care of it, all right? Period.

That's it, I'ma do it.

-I mean, that's hella food, man.
-[loud slam]

Dammit, David, I said I'ma
take care of the food, okay?

[narrator] Filipinos call
the eldest brother "kuya."

This is Dayo. You know,
like the Harry Belafonte song.

Filipinos have nicknames.

His real name is Darius,

although a White guy at work
calls him Dale,

like Chip and Dale.

Dayo has always wanted to be the protector

and in many ways he is,

but the struggle is real,

and his wife, Emily,
isn't always the softest woman.

Dayo, what the fuck?

Why would you say that?

We can't afford that.

-I know.
-Why would you volunteer us to pay?

I didn't agree to that.

Duke said he would help. He has the money.

He doesn't have any kids or a mortgage
or mouths to feed on a daily basis.

I know, I know, all right?

But Duke doesn't have to pay
for everything all the time.

Pay for everything?
He doesn't pay for shit.

I just need to do this myself.

But it's not just yourself, Dayo.

It's me and the kids too.

Look, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I know.

-[sighs]
-I just have to pay for this, babe.

No, you don't.

I have to. I owe him.

Who?

All of 'em. But Danny boy definitely.

Why?

Look, not that
I am complaining about this,

but we are already letting him stay
in the kid's playroom.

I know.

-For two years.
-Goddammit, I know, okay?

-[sighs]
-I'll talk to him, I'll talk to him.

But we're not like you. We're not Chinese.

We're Asian too, yeah,
but we're jungle Asian.

-You know what I'm saying?
-No. What are you saying?

We're tribal. We live together.

You know, growing up
we never lived in the house by ourselves,

just parents and kids.

-We always lived with my grandparents.
-Yeah, we still do.

I mean, you know, at one time, I think
we had like 21 people in the house.

Three bedroom house, one bathroom.

While you're taking a shower,
someone's taking a shit.

And what is your point, Dayo?

Jungle Asians!

But you know what?

It was always a blast, it was.

We always had a good time.

You know, everyone was singing
and dancing all the time...

-Yelling at each other all the time.
-Yeah, we're loud.

But you know what? My mom and dad,
they never turned anyone away,

but they just made sure
everyone was happy.

I'm not talking about happiness.

-That's not what this is about.
-I know, but I'm just saying.

I'm just saying it's a tribal thing, babe.

I'm the oldest, my dad's getting older,
and who am I to disrupt tradition?

I don't want you to worry about it,
but I have to do this.

Remember when we first met,

and you said that you'd always
come through no matter what?

That we'd never go without or hungry.

Yeah.

Go all in for us, babe.

I'll get you the cookie jar money.

Tell Fatso I said hi.

Jungle Asian.

["7000 miles" by Ruby Ibarra playing]

[narrator] There's nothing Dayo
wouldn't do to take care of his family.

He's the most resourceful
of the brothers, always has been.

You know, makes it happen, cap'n.

♪ Hello, America ♪

♪ Break your backs for dollars
They don't carry ya ♪

♪ 7000 miles away from home
With language barriers ♪

♪ Land of opportunity
Tell me, is it good to ya? ♪

♪ But six feet deep on stolen land
Is where they bury ya ♪

♪ November 1991
Papa came here with a wife ♪

♪ Two daughters, no money ♪

♪ But they wanted them a better life ♪

♪ Peso to their name
So they peace-in' up the plane ♪

♪ Ain't no peace in a position
As an immigrant that's praying ♪

♪ For a piece of the Americana pie
Or for the C.R.E.A.M. ♪

♪ To a piece of dream
They sold you but it only… ♪

[narrator] Filipinos love karaoke,

the cha-cha, and gambling.

Whether they're good at it or not.

Dayo's heading to Fatso's.

He runs an underground poker house
for Pittsburg's local degenerates.

♪ They always feeding us lies
Made to believe… ♪

In the past, Dayo and Emily
have taken home some big wins.

♪ Broken down till I cry ♪

♪ Till I no longer recognize
The person that was inside... ♪

-[door thudding]
-Today was not one of those days.

[door thudding]

Motherfucker, fuck, fuck, fuck, shit.

[door thudding]

Goddammit.

Fuck!

[upbeat music playing]

[narrator] But Dayo's no quitter.

He always figures it out,
even if it's a little shady.

["Hustle Go (Remix)" by AJ Rafael playing]

♪ You gotta see how the hustle go ♪

Yo, Berts, what up, man?

I'm in a jam.

I need somethin' quick.

♪ You gotta see how the hustle go ♪

♪ You know we caught by his bros though ♪

♪ You gotta see how the hustle go ♪

♪ You know we caught by his bros though ♪

-I got this one.
-Who the fuck is this?

-[car door slams]
-I'm strong, man. I got this.

-Hey, man, hey, man!
-Oh shit!

-My bad, my bad.
-I can't breathe, man, my shoulder!

-Hey, you know this motherfucker?
-Nah, I don't know fat boy.

Watch out though, he looks hungry.

You need to be careful
coming around here, man.

You ain't from here.

We ain't got no food for you, man.
This ain't McDonald's.

-Hey man, I'm just looking for my boy.
-Your boy ain't here.

-[Berto] Dayo.
-Berto.

[Berto laughing]

Hey, man, let him through.
Get to work, fools.

-[Dayo] Yeah.
-My bad, my bad.

Get to work, all right? Damn.

[Berto and Dayo laughing]

-My man.
-Berto, player.

Yo, man.

You hugged me too long,
gave that bakla slow dance.

[Berto and Dayo laughing]

So, what's up, what's up, what's up?

-What's up, man? How you been?
-Good, man.

You know, same shit, different caca, pooh.

[Dayo laughing] Shit.

So what's good with you, man,
how's the brothers?

Oh yeah, you know, I mean the wedding.

The wedding? [inhales]

Let me go, man, let me go.

I got an outfit too.

You know the one from
Chess King, that blazer.

Let me come through.

Yeah, yeah, of course, man.

-Are you sure?
-Yeah, of course. You're my boy.

I know, man, it's not the same
'cause, you know,

the shit went down with your sister, man.

Man, I told you it was a bad idea
to date my sister.

Man, I got mad love for her
but she, ah… [hisses]

No, I know man, I feel bad, man.

I didn't want to mess with her, man,
but she smells so good.

-Like, tortillas and cool water...
-[box thuds]

Hey, what are you guys doing?
Take care of that, man! Don't drop that.

Keep loading.
I want all that outta here, man.

Sell all them TVs, and do not come back
unless you sell everything.

I want cashola. I don't care if you sell
it to Manny Pacquiao's auntie,

the cousin, Johnson Enriques.

I want all of it sold.

Anyways, man,
I got a job for you, that's right.

And as a matter of fact,
you'd be doing me a big favor.

Thank you,
I really appreciate this. Thanks.

-I mean, you're coming through.
-I got you, man.

Check this out. Go around the corner,
I got a package for you.

Okay, all right.

[Berto] Come on, man.

Don't be so clumsy with your fat fingers.

[soft ominous music playing]

What the fuck.

[ominous music playing]

I fucking hate chickens.

[rooster cackling]

[Dayo whimpering]

Yo, Bert, that a…

Is that a fucking rooster?

[Berto] Yeah, that's the package.

-D, here you go, man.
-Oh shit.

Sorry, brother. Hey, man.

This package is for you.

Everything you need is in here.

Just go to this address
right here, boom, boom.

Money's inside, bam.

When you get there,
make sure no one is around.

Look around, right?

-There's some instructions in there.
-Wait, what instructions?

Yeah, there's instructions there.
Look out for Nicky C.

I hate that motherfucker.

-What?
-I hate that motherfucker.

-Nicky C.?
-Yeah.

Thinks he's all bad cause he's, you know,
he's supposedly, you know,

second-generation Triad.

-Triad?
-Yakuza.

-Yakuza?
-Yakuzi, I don't know.

Anyways, man, just roll up
in that bitch, like,

man, you the man, man.

'Cause you know what?

-You are the man.
-[rooster cackling]

-I am the man.
-[rooster cackling]

-See you at the party, man.
-[rooster cackling]

Yo, Berts, thanks, man, I appreciate this.

-All right, man.
-I appreciate it.

No worries, man,
look forward to seeing you.

[Berto cackling]

[sighs] What the fuck am I doing?

["Life Force" by happy sad face playing]
♪ Think I need ♪

♪ A new way of thinking ♪

♪ I'm pathetic just like everyone ♪

♪ You can get it if you really want ♪

♪ It looks better in the setting sun ♪

♪ So pathetic just like everyone ♪

-[music abruptly stops]
-[phone ringing]

Yo.

Yo, you got to pick up grams
from dialysis.

No, no, no, no, no,
you said you were gonna pick her up.

[David] No, you said I was picking her up.

You know, my car is
hella fucked up right now.

Gotta take that shit to the shop.

Man, why don't you say anything
about that earlier?

Eh, well, I was all caught up
in like, you know,

who was paying for what and whatnot
and I was like, not it.

Fucker, I'm in the middle
of something right now.

[lighter clicking]

Hello? Yo, are you getting high right now?

Well, what'd you want me to do, man?

I had to walk all the way to the Marina.

I ain't got no car man, I'm stuck.

[Dayo] Asshole.

[cars roaring]

[speaking Tagalog]

["Life Force" by happy sad face
playing, instrumental]

[music fades]

[car door popping]

Lola, stay in the car.

[rooster crowing]

[soft guitar music playing]

Berto sent me.

[soft guitar music playing]

Well, well, well. Look who arrived
with a cock in hand.

You Nicky?

That's me.

Berto called. Told me the cock whisperer
on the way. You him?

Yeah, you know, that's me.

Good, good.

[Dayo] Well, good, you know, um.

I'm gonna need somewhere to
get them ready, you know?

Okay, that's right.

We're gonna make a lot of money
tonight, motherfucker.

-Well, that's why I'm here.
-Yeah, that package right there.

You have the special delivery, huh?

-Oh yeah?
-That's right, motherfucker.

This cock right here
come all the way from the Filipino.

When all those motherfuckers see me,
they're gonna be so surprised.

We got a lot riding on
this motherfucker, yeah?

Yeah, I got you.

Yes, you do, cock whisperer.

Oh, I don't want to be the hypocrite

but just one thing, okay?

Okay.

I hate dogfighting.

I hate... I hate it.

Every time I see the puppy, I say,

"Who the fuck do the animal
abuse like this, huh?"

Not me.

I just love chicken, and I kill them
because I get hungry,

but the dog?

Who the fuck eat the dog? Not me.

You eat the dog?

What the fuck you waiting for?

-Go over there, he has to go right now.
-All right.

You up next, man.

[upbeat music playing]

-[crowd chattering]
-[rooster clacking]

[narrator] Now, Dayo doesn't know
anything about cockfighting,

but in his quest to be cock of the walk,

one must be resilient and...
how do I say this?

You know, believe in yourself.

Who's the fucking cock whisperer? I am.

-[rooster cackling]
-Whoa, fucking shit!

[rooster cackling]

Whoa.

[mutters] What the fuck?

"When alone, inject five minutes
before the fight.

Don't let anyone see you,
and get rid of the evidence."

Okay.

[upbeat music playing]

[rooster cackling]

-Yah!
-[rooster cackling]

-[upbeat music continues playing]
-[rooster cackling]

[Dayo crying]

-[knock at door]
-[Nicky] We almost up. You ready?

Yeah, just give me one minute, okay?

Okay, I come back in a few minute.

[upbeat music playing]

[rooster cackling]

Son of a bitch.

-[rooster cackling]
-[Dayo screaming]

Yah! [laughs]

[exhales] Okay, okay.

[upbeat music playing]

[music stops]

[knock at door]

Yeah, one more minute.

[rooster clucking]

[Lola speaking Tagalog]

Lola?

[door creaking]

Lola, what are you doing here?

[Lola speaking Tagalog]

Come, come, come inside.
Come, come, hurry.

This is not a good place.

I said wait in the car.

You know, this is a dangerous place.

[Dayo inhaling and exhaling]

Hey, motherfucker, no more time, come on.

Yeah, yeah, just give me one minute, okay?

[speaking Vietnamese]

No, motherfucker. Open up the door, now.

-[pounding at door]
-[Nicky] Open the door.

[weak clucking]

-Fuck.
-[pounding at door]

Open this door right now!

-Hey.
-[door banging]

Open the door!

[speaking Tagalog]

[Dayo] Vicks vapor rub?
Lola, what are you doing?

Come here, Lola. On top of here.

-[pounding at door]
-Can you give me one more minute, please?

Lola.

[speaking Vietnamese]

[gun rattling]

-Open the door.
-Open it!

-I'm almost ready.
-[angry yelling from outside]

What the fuck, motherfucker?!

[crowd chattering]

I'm so sorry…

-[upbeat music playing]
-[rooster cackling]

…it took us this long,
but we're ready, motherfuckers.

-[upbeat music playing]
-[roster cackling]

[upbeat music playing]

["Manila Magic" by Jay R
and Knowa Lazarus playing]

♪ We just landed on the islands ♪

♪ Yeah, everywhere I look
People smiling, yeah ♪

♪ Bright colors on the jeepneys driving… ♪

Came through. Good job, baby.

Good job, Dad.

Deuce!

Deucy!

Deuce!

Hey. Have you seen Deucy?

Oh yeah, one second I'll be right back.

He was just over here by the bar.

Um, I mean, he was just here.

[little girl mumbling]

[girl calls out indistinctly]

♪ Drawing me closer ♪

♪ I've got to have it ♪

-♪ There's nothing like Manila magic... ♪
-[music pauses]

[narrator] This is the third son.
He's kind of the golden child.

We call him Duke.

His actual name is Douglas.

He has it all.

The wife, the career,
the baller apartment overlooking the bay,

and way too many shoes.

Some say he's spoiled, but he works hard

and he still manages
to meet up with family.

Well, kinda.

Like, of course he had to go
out of town on business

the weekend before the wedding.

Babe, that tickles.

Oh my God, Shane bought
that building on Divisadero.

Tanya is gonna shit her pants.

-Yeah, I'm sure she's gonna be happy.
-Yeah, she's gonna be happy.

Their annual gala is gonna be beautiful.

You're beautiful.

Aww.

-You sure you packed everything?
-Yes.

-Underwear and socks?
-Yeah.

Okay, okay, what about your passport?

Fuck.

[chuckles] I knew that you would
forget something, you always do.

Wait, babe, come back.

I'm gonna be so sad.

This is your first time going
to the Philippines.

-I'm not going to be with you.
-Yeah, I know.

Well, I'll be busy working,

and we could have extended,
but... this crazy wedding.

Speaking of which, my mom's been
trying to call you about…

-There's a dinner tomorrow.
-Yeah, I gotta call her.

I can't make it tomorrow. I have that
appointment with the specialist.

I'll never make it
from Vallejo to Pittsburg.

But I got you something.

What?

Just a little something for your trip.

Babe, what did you get me?

Open it.

Oh, wow.

-Do you like 'em?
-I love 'em, this is amazing.

Oh, thank you.

You're welcome.

Listen, try to maybe move
those things around tomorrow?

Because the girls,
they wanna talk about wedding stuff...

-I know, okay I will call them.
-Okay.

And listen, I know that it's crazy,

but I think that this could be good
for him, and for her too.

He seems different, stronger.

Like he's got a purpose now.

And I think it's kinda romantic.

You remember romance, right?

-I'm Mr. Romance.
-Mr. Romance?

-How do you think I got you?
-Okay, Mr. Romance?

-Yeah?
-Yeah. [chuckles]

[both moaning]

-I gotta go.
-I know.

-I gotta go.
-All right, go.

It's getting... I'm running late.

-Go.
-Bye.

Bye.

-Ahem.
-What?

-Passport.
-Oh, fuck!

[chuckles]

["I Like Girls" by happy sad face playing]

♪ Oh, I like girls ♪

[plane engine roaring]

♪ I just wish we fit together better ♪

♪ They all wanna play
With the pretty toy ♪

♪ Don't wanna be seen with an ugly boy ♪

♪ A handsome boy just like me ♪

♪ But they lack in all my finer features ♪

♪ Everybody loves a pretty face ♪

♪ Everybody loves a pretty, pretty face ♪

♪ The prettiest get the covers ♪

♪ Pretty people love each other ♪

♪ And the prettiest get the money ♪

♪ And it's all ugly people
All the ugly people ♪

♪ All the ugly people
Make the world go round… ♪

-What's up?
-[glasses clinking]

Cheers.

Hey, listen, so rumor has it,
there's this island.

Okay, it's untouched by corporations
and tourists and all that.

They say it's like a, like a fantasy land.

Like a Never-Never Land.

-It's kind of like the movie The Beach...
-Congratulations.

-[Duke mumbling]
-For real.

-And?
-And let's get into some shit.

What kind of shit?

Folklore has it that it's the home
of a secret, orgy sex cult.

What the fuck?

[laughs] Yes, it's, that's
what the fuck I'm talking about.

I know you.

I mean, we've been working our asses off.
It's time to unwind, baby.

Slow down, DiCaprio.

No, no, no, no, no, you need this.
Shit, I need this.

Look, there's a lot of things I need.
That is not one of them.

Mm, I'm telling you,
these babes are fine, man.

Hold on, I gotta check something out.

-No, no, no, no.
-[glasses clinking]

Oh, whew, that's hot.

All right, I'm just gonna
hit a cockfight, then.

You don't understand the culture.

["Love Around the Block"
by happy sad face playing]

♪ If I had a sign
I would hold it in the sky ♪

♪ Don't make me smile when I'm frowning ♪

♪ Running around in a piece of your town ♪

♪ Love is around and I'm drowning ♪

♪ Lost all my friends
Am I running out of time? ♪

♪ Frequently lost
In a section of my mind ♪

♪ When I was born I getting too old ♪

♪ Killing my imagination ♪

♪ Knock on the door
I'm running for more ♪

♪ I don't wanna be this way anymore ♪

♪ You're the sun and I'm the moon ♪

♪ Running away till it's cold ♪

♪ Running away till it's cold ♪

♪ Love around the block ♪

♪ Just run around and talk ♪

♪ Don't take my temperature
Left brain is broken ♪

-Um, usual table, ma'am?
-Same table.

-All right. [speaking Tagalog]
-Thank you.

[Duke] Excuse me.

Duke?

I thought that was you.

Gosh, I mean, this is, this is crazy.

How long has it been? Like, 15 years?

Ms. Hernadez? [speaking Tagalog]

[speaking Tagalog]

Okay, follow me. [speaking Tagalog]

Hungry?

Well, I'm supposed to have dinner
with some coworkers, but yeah.

-Yes.
-Yes?

[birds calling]

So, what brings you to Manila?

I'm just here on business.

Um, can you believe this is
my first time in the Philippines?

-[woman chuckles]
-Well, what about you?

-Why are you here?
-What do you mean?

I live here.

This whole time? Since senior year?

I mean, Dad got a job
and my mom wanted to move back, so.

I was devastated.

[chuckles]

Um, I'm married.

Oh, yeah, no, me too, me too.

You're a family man now?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
My wife is barren.

[laughs awkwardly] Sorry, what?

I mean, no I, we tried having kids
several times, actually.

Just, no.

You?

I have a son, and he's my world.

[laughs]

I looked for you over the years.

Not that I'm looking for you.

I just…

Did you get into Law?

I know how, it was always
important for you,

like, justice for the people.

Yeah, well I did.

I went to UP,
passed the bar and everything.

Wow.

And then as soon as I was
about to start at the firm,

I got pregnant, so.

Oh, I'm sorry you had to give that up.

I mean, I know how important
that was to you.

Well, I didn't give anything up.

I mean, I chose my son, so.

Forgot how strong you are.

[soft music playing]

How's the fam?

Oh, great, just there's more of us now.

-You know, loud and crazy.
-[woman laughing]

Just nieces and nephews running around.

My parents are good.

They think I'm disconnected.

How so?

I don't know. Too American?

Lost touch with being Filipino?

[laughs] You came to the right place
to get in touch.

-Right.
-For sure. [chuckles]

-Um, let's eat.
-Start?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Do you need help with that?

Yeah.

[mouths] Right.

[narrator] When you're born in America,

sometimes we forget that we are all
actually from somewhere else.

And yeah, I am most definitely
including you, White people.

But when you go back home to your roots,

some things can awaken inside of you,

and the most unexpected things can happen.

Anna Cara Lopez.

Hernandez.

Yep, Anna Cara Hernandez, right.

Doesn't have the same ring to it,
but yeah.

[chuckles] Yeah.

Halfway around the world, huh?

What are the chances of us
bumping into each other?

I don't believe in coincidences.

That's right.

You always used to say, for everything…

[both] A reason.

[Duke chuckles]

I don't know.
I figured we'd see each other again.

You know, whenever I would think of you,

I'd always see you in that red convertible
with the white roof.

The Rabbit, yeah.

-Yes.
-Yeah, yeah.

The Rabbit. That Rabbit.

You rolling around, just classic Anna.

Top down, hair blowing, blasting The Cure.

Oh, I miss that Rabbit. My first car.

And you?

And me what?

-You almost killed my car.
-I didn't almost kill your car.

Yeah, when we went through the city,
and I was teaching you how to drive stick.

Yes. Yes!

Yes, and at the top of every hill,
you were just peeing in your pants

and praying, "Please,
don't let the light be red."

-No. That's your bad.
-"Please, don't let the light be red."

Taking me to San Francisco,
driving on those steep-ass one-ways?

Uh, you remember why we were there, right?

Because you said
if I could drive those streets,

I could drive anywhere.

Uh, yeah, and you could not miss that

Hyro and De La Soul show at the Fillmore.

-Yes.
-Yes.

That's right, that show was incredible.

[laughing] You, my little fish,
at a hip hop concert.

We were so young and free.
It felt like anything was possible.

[water trickling]

No one here knows me like that.

What?

I mean, nobody here knows me like that.

It's beautiful here.

I mean, everything's so new,
at least to me.

People and scents in the air,

the air itself, the way it touches you.

But then again, it's not.

It's like something I've always known.

It's like coming home.

Well, welcome home, Duke Abasta.

Come on.

Hey, we should check out this church.

Church? I haven't been at a church
in like ten years.

I'll probably burst into flames.

[chuckles] What? No, come on,
it's beautiful inside.

And if you wanna get to know
the Philippines,

there's nothing more Filipino
than a church.

-[organ music]
-[Duke whispers] It's a funeral.

-What are we doing?
-[somber organ music continues]

[church attendees gasp and murmur]

[hushed] What's going on?

I'm not sure.

[organ music continues]

[speaking Tagalog]

[man continues speaking Tagalog]

What's he saying?

The girl on the left is his wife.

And the one on the right, his true love.

The man who died was
a good friend of mine all my life.

Actually, he was more like
a brother than a friend.

You may think he's
some kind of ladies' man,

but I'd like to think of him as someone
who just had too much love in his heart

to share it with just one woman.

He loved his wife and his family fiercely

and they loved him too.

The wife never really did anything wrong.

And yet he still loved another as well.

You see, she is his childhood sweetheart.

Though they never really got together
until later in life.

As they say, unrequited love never dies.

You know the problem
with loving two women?

You can never be there fully for either.

Yep, I'm just an old man.

But if I could give you advice?

Don't ever cheat on each other.

If ever you fall in love
for another, end it.

And then you can go to the next
and love her all you've got.

But as I see it,

I won't have to worry about you two.

You know if my friend
only looked at his wife

the same way you look at each other…

[woman speaking Tagalog]

…he would have never had an affair

with my sister.

[mistress and wife speaking Tagalog]

[both speaking Tagalog angrily]

Excuse me.

[argument continues]

["Crazy About You" by AJ Rafael playing]
♪ I'm crazy about you ♪

♪ I'm crazy about you, my baby ♪

♪ I'm crazy about you… ♪

Well, here you are.

Yeah, here we are.

Wanna come up for a nightcap?

-No, no, no, no, no, no.
-No.

-No, I know because, I mean-
-No, I know because,

-I mean you should know that...
-We both feel something.

No, shh, don't say it.

Don't even say it,
'cause if you say it, it makes it real,

and I can't, you can't, we can't,
this isn't real, right?

This is just some alternate universe
in the Philippines

where high school sweethearts can
reconnect and live happily ever after

like an episode of The Twilight Zone.

[chuckles] I was going to say that you
should know that adultery is illegal here.

And there's that too.

For everything a reason.

Look, I should go.

Yeah, I'll just… Just gonna
take myself to room 235

and put myself to sleep now.

[laughs] You always had
a way to make me laugh.

Okay.

[footsteps leaving]

[Duke moaning]

Oh, Anna. [moans]

[knocking at door]

No, thank you.

[moans]

No.

What? Who is it?

["The Worst Thing"
by happy sad face playing]

♪ Just start it slow, it's a marathon ♪

♪ Get some pain, get a plan
Get some medical ♪

♪ If some light hits your mind
Just don't let it go ♪

♪ Every thought on repeat like an animal ♪

♪ Am I smart enough for you? ♪

♪ Just say it all, don't be guarded now ♪

♪ Spit it up, eat your words
Like a cannibal ♪

♪ It's a magical world
If you look around ♪

♪ Close your eyes cause
You're missing it anyhow ♪

♪ Am I hot enough for you ♪

[song ends]

[Duke sighs] Anna Cara Lopez.

Hernandez.

Abasta.

You gave away your name a while back.

Oh God, are we bad people?

This is crazy.

This is beautiful.

I didn't expect any of this to happen.

It felt right, right?

Right, right.

[moans] It's like,

Like something new but familiar.

Like opening a box of old photos

and just reliving those memories.

Although it's not reliving it
because we're living it.

Am I making sense, I mean it's,

it's living.

-Living, it's living.
-Yeah.

It's living.

[moans] My little fish.

It's so funny how I used to call you that.

You know salmon,
they swim from all over the world,

just oceans away
to just wind up in the very rivers

in where they were born.

These salmon, they go through

a labyrinth of raging rapids
and waterfalls.

-[Anna laughing]
-They just take a leap of faith.

Sometimes they just jump into
the ravenous jaws or bears…

[Duke growling]

…or they're just casually
swimming in calm waters

and then all of a sudden
an eagle swoops down

and snatches 'em up,

just digging in their razor-sharp claws
into their flesh.

These salmon, they risk everything
just to spawn

in the very spot in which they were born.

I'm leaving my wife.

You're what?

Yeah, yeah, I'm leaving my wife.

Duke, that's not what I meant.

No, no, you're right.

You said it,
we're living, baby, this is it.

You're, you're crazy.

And this is right, this feels so right.

This is like the most right
I've ever felt.

I mean, I came home back to my home
when I touched you, I saw you.

It's like my whole world
came back into focus.

-We can't do this.
-Yes, we can. Yes, we can.

Wait, what are you doing?

What are you... What are you doing?

-No.
-Duke, stop it.

No, no, yes, we can.

No, no, hold on. Hold on.

-[phone ringing]
-Shit.

-Hang up.
-No, it's ringing.

-Hang up. You're not...
-Should I?

-Yeah, you're not... Hang up.
-Should we?

This is Sammy. Couldn't get to the phone.
Leave a message.

Hello, it's me. Yes, call me back.

I need to talk to you as soon as…

I have very important information
to tell you.

Thank you, bye.

[laughs]

You're unbelievable, Duke Abasta.

I made the call.

Yeah, I know. I know, I know you did.

I mean, are you sure you wanna do this?

Where are you?

I'm here.

You're here?

You're here?

Yeah.

You're really here?

Yeah.

You're really here?

You're gonna stay?

How could I not?

I got to go.

What?

I need to go across town
and tell my husband I'm leaving him.

Oh, okay, yeah, no, yeah, right.

You, um, right, of course. Uh…

Now what are we supposed to do?

[sighs]

Figure it out tonight.

For everything a reason.

["City Boi" by happy sad face playing]

♪ You caught me when I was falling apart ♪

♪ Too many pieces of the puzzled heart ♪

♪ This old gray matter
Is lost in the dark ♪

♪ And I'm tired of waking up ♪

♪ I'm tired of running, running ♪

♪ They all laugh at me
When they pass by me ♪

♪ I'm a ghost all alone
In a piss scent breeze ♪

♪ I wanna feel so close ♪

♪ I don't wanna feel free ♪

♪ Forget my name, I don't wanna be me ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ I wanna see you, oh, oh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ I wanna see you, oh, oh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ I wanna see you, oh, oh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

-[phone ringing]
-[song abruptly stops]

[phone beeps]

[Sammy over phone] Hey.

Hello?

Babe, are you there?

Babe, hello?

I think the signal cut, are you there?

Babe, what's wrong? Talk to me.

-[vehicle hooting, tires screeching]
-[woman screaming]

[woman speaking Tagalog]

I'm just gonna be late to the wedding.

["Heart Shield" by happy sad face playing]
♪ Don't be this man, lost in fantasy… ♪

[narrator] Life's a process, and Duke,
well, he's still in the middle of his.

[people chattering]

["Feminine Energy"
by The Basco Bros playing]

♪ Ooh, you be sending me
With your beautiful feminine energy ♪

♪ Ooh, you be sending me
With your beautiful feminine energy… ♪

[music pauses]

[narrator] Uh, this is David.

No real nickname here, just Dave.

Parents must've got lazy
with the names after a while.

He's never really settled down,

maybe because he's the little brother
and he never really grew up,

or maybe he never found someone
who really appreciates his…

He's a weirdo.

[indistinct chatter]

David, you're not ready
and the company is coming soon.

-Go get ready. Go get ready.
-What are you talking about?

Just gonna put the bow tie, Mama.
That looks good.

Don't touch. Wait until
after the ceremony.

["Because Of You (Dahil Sa Iyo)"
by AJ Rafael and Jesse Barrera playing]

Don't touch until after.

Okay, whatever. Damn,
you ain't even my mama.

[beer bottle popping]

[sexy music playing]

[drink trickling]

[sexy music continues]

Oh, wait, wait.

[noodle slurping]

["Open Up" by happy sad face playing]
♪ Say goodbye to your precious secret ♪

♪ Let make some magic while
We're all still here ♪

♪ It's a reminder we're all just people ♪

♪ Life is a moment and then you die ♪

♪ Take off your mask
And shake off all that's past ♪

♪ It's illogical to think
That this love is gonna last ♪

♪ Trapped in fear in solitary years ♪

♪ Life is a moment and then you die ♪

♪ Open up your heart ♪

♪ Open up your mind ♪

[vocalizing]

♪ Open up your heart ♪

♪ Open up your mind ♪

[vocalizing]

[moans]

Ooh!

♪ I think it's time
To put your body next to mine ♪

♪ Feel our hearts intertwine ♪

♪ And stare into each other's eyes ♪

[in Spanish] ♪ We are small
And live in a dream ♪

[in Spanish] ♪ There is no destiny
You can't define it ♪

[whining sound]

[slapping sound]

♪ Oh, it's time to put your body
Next to mine ♪

♪ Feel our hearts intertwine ♪

♪ And stare into each other's eyes ♪

♪ Each other's eyes, each other's eyes ♪

[in French] ♪ Love it, love you ♪

♪ I love you my friend ♪

[engine revving]

♪ Each other's eyes, each other's eyes ♪

♪ Open up your heart ♪

[growls]

♪ Open up your mind… ♪

[gasps]

[growls]

[David and woman moaning]

[leopard snarling sound]

[David moans and growls]

[yells]

-[woman moaning]
-[David growling]

David Abasta!

Let's go.

[electronic music playing]

[narrator] The second oldest son
is Danton,

but he's always been called Danny boy.

He's hard-headed.

On top of that, he's brokenhearted.

And for hardheaded folks,
broken hearts are hard to mend.

[electronic music playing]

[speaking Tagalog]

Doesn't he have any headphones?

I've seen the headphones.

Well, if we hear the music,
at least we know he's alive, right?

David, shut up.

I'm just saying.

-Guys I got to go, you got Lola?
-[Dayo] I got her.

It's been like two years. How long does it
take you to get over something like that?

Apparently, at least two years.

It's true. I mean,
she did leave him for another guy.

Yeah, but they were
kind of broken up already.

-Yeah, but the kid.
-The kid.

I know. Leaves town,
can't even be in his life?

-Fucked up.
-Fucked up.

Okay, okay, geez, I know all this,

but why do you have to agree
to all of that?

I don't know, she left him for your boy.

Shut up.

I think they're, like, in Michigan.

I don't know what to do, man.

You know?

Try to leave him alone in his room
where he doesn't bother anyone.

But then, you know, he goes over there.

Nobody sees him for days,
and he's making music.

Music, by the way, nobody understands.

It's called electronic music.

Yeah, well, it sounds like
he's talking to the aliens.

I know. Can we just...
We have to find something.

Maybe snap him out of it.

I feel you.

I think he's broken.

I think he just has PTSD.

What? Seriously, you know
mental health is a big-ass issue.

-Come on, David.
-It's trauma.

-David.
-He's traumatized.

Hey, you know what? He did it to himself.

Sometimes things happen.

Yeah, but he "happened" it.

-I invited him to Burning Man.
-David, I swear.

-What?
-Dumbass.

He might be able to find himself
on the Playa.

I just don't know what to do
to help him anymore.

Kids, come eat some quesadillas
before you got to Kajukenbo.

-Uncle Willy still teaching?
-Yeah, he's still teaching.

He taught you. He taught me.

[electronic music playing]

[knock at door]

Hey, bro, can you turn it down
just a little bit?

Hey, you good?

Are you hungry?

Hey, man, I lost my phone.

Can I borrow your phone to call my phone?

Fell out of my pocket.

Thanks, bro.

[electronic music continues playing]

[David making squeaking noises]

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

[electronic music continues]

This.

Hey, man, you are just listening
to the same thing over and over again.

Uh-huh. That's what I'm doing.

Okay, cool.

How's it going?

Ah…

You know I dig this shit, right?

This is my kind of music, man.

I can take some acid, I'll be out
on the Playa. You know what I mean?

All night long, but you, bro, you just…

You are just in here.

See, see here? Here, here, here, here.

I'm just… If I could…

See, there's all these things.

All these things that I can…

beat and time signature
to fit with the n...

If I can make it all sound…

If I could make it sound
the way it's supposed to sound,

the way that it's meant to sound,
then maybe I got a shot

about understanding these things,
these, man, I don't, I don't know.

You are just going deeper and deeper
into the abyss, man.

Yes. Yeah, yeah 'cause…

'Cause t-that's where the answers
might be, you know?

[chuckles] Look,
don't take it from me, okay?

I mean, I ain't in here reading Nietzsche

or playing with these computers,
or, I don't know, meditating

or whatever the fuck you do in here.

But I gotta tell you something, bro.

The answers ain't in here.

I got you.
I don't expect you to understand.

It's cool, man.

Fuck off, bro.

Look, I do understand.
But I just don't take shit so seriously.

You know what I'm saying?

I mean 'cause I looked for answers
too, and I find it or I don't.

You think I go to Burning Man

just to be, like, partying all night
and take hella drugs,

but I'm finding myself, man.

I'm finding myself. [sighs]

I'm out there, man.
I'm out there doing shit.

Seeing shit.

Fucking shit up for sure sometimes,
but I am living.

I know, I lost... I lost that.

I-I don't have that. I…

I'm not like you guys.

Okay? I'm not... I don't have your heart

or Dayo's strength or Duke's…

What does that guy have again?

Money. [laughs]

Shit just works out
for that fucking guy, man.

I lost my heart.

What do you mean,
you don't have a heart, bro?

You have the heart of a beast, man.

Okay, you lost it. So fucking what, man?

Go out there and get it back.

Go assume the position

or howl at the moon if you have to.

[howls]

Come on, man, do something.

You gotta get out of this room and just...

You know what? Say yes.

Yes changes everything.

It opens up possibilities
that you wouldn't believe, man.

Look, man, you're just…

You're just a little down
and confused, man,

like your music.

But you know what?

You gonna get through it, man.

I guess you're getting through it
the only way you know how, bro.

I respect that.

I haven't lost faith in your heart.

[electronic music continues]

[door closes]

[electronic music continues]

[narrator] As crazy as
it may sound, Dave's weird

could actually be the light
at the end of that dark tunnel.

[phone chiming]

What the fuck?

[phone blooping]

David, motherfucker.

[phone blooping]

Oh shit.

Good.

[phone chiming]

[upbeat guitar music playing]

-[upbeat guitar music playing]
-[woman singing indistinctly]

[singing indistinctly]

Yo, good morning. What's up?

Just stopping by.
Meeting Sammy at the mall in a bit.

-You hungry?
-Morning, man.

What'd you say? Where are you guys going?

-Maybe I'll meet you later.
-Oh yeah.

-Yeah.
-Shopping.

-Not me, her.
-Yeah, I'm sure.

Morning. What's up?

Hey, is anybody going to
the Fil-Am dance tonight?

-Oh, Mama, that's your thing.
-Can't do it.

Tell the titos and titas
that I send my love.

-Yeah, Ma, Deucy has a game at 7:30.
-Yeah, he does, where?

You guys need to start
supporting the Fil-Am.

-Hey, Ma, I already sent a check in.
-Yeah, for all of us, right?

Look, it's not enough
to donate money, okay?

My generation is older now
and the models are passing away.

It's up to you guys to keep this going.

I'm sorry, Mama, I got to…
I can't make it I got a date.

Oh, a date?

Oh, I wanna know about that date.
Tell us about it.

-What'd he say?
-I don't know.

-Did he say he has a date?
-I think he has a date.

-Wow.
-Yeah, wow.

-This is good.
-Yeah, it's good, but how?

-I have no clue.
-It's all good, baby.

I found some more milk.

Yeah, so, a date, huh?

Yeah, she was… she…

This girl, she wanted to meet up
and she's really insistent.

Oh yeah.

-Yeah.
-Hey, how'd you meet her?

-Yeah, where did you meet this girl?
-On my phone.

-Your phone?
-Yeah, it's an app.

What, you're on a dating app? All right.

How does that work?

You know it's kind of like a… like a bar.

Wait, a bar?

-Virtually.
-Yeah, virtually.

Dude, it's like a bar, like, on your...

You know how, like,
a bar is like a watering hole, right?

You go there, you meet people?
Except it's on your phone.

-Okay, a bar on my phone.
-Is she cute?

-That's good, right?
-She's cute.

Great, man, because
you don't have to buy girls drinks.

You just swipe, you connect, you know,

you chat, you talk, you smash.

I'm just going to go meet her.

She wanted to meet? We're gonna meet.

Okay, that's good. That's good, Danny boy.

Getting out there, huh?

Yo, David, you did this?

It's cool, right?

-It's hella cool.
-Yeah, okay, yeah.

I mean, it can't hurt.

Help. That's what I do, man, help.

Okay Mr. Helper, why don't you
go help Lola wipe her butt?

-What?
-He's coming, Lola.

["Polyester Remembers"
by happy sad face playing]

♪ Polyester remembers ♪

♪ Polyester remembers ♪

♪ Polyester remembers ♪

♪ Polyester remembers ♪

♪ Polyester remembers ♪

♪ Polyester remembers… ♪

Hello?

Hi. You came.

I wasn't sure you'd make it.

No, I, I said I'd come,
so here I am and there you are.

Good. I think it's important.

-What?
-That we're honest.

Yeah.

I know it's kind of out of fashion
right now, honesty, truth.

And you're looking at me right now,
and you're probably thinking

that I lied to you in some way,
but I didn't.

I mean I didn't tell you everything, yeah,
okay, but it's just those fucking apps.

I feel like they lend themselves to lying.

Everybody's putting out their best selves
or what they think are their best selves

which doesn't have to do with
anything that matters.

But you didn't do that.

And I don't want to lie to you,

which is why I didn't say it all
on the app.

I wanted you to get the full picture.

-Okay.
-Yeah.

Okay, I see you.

Yeah?

You're beautiful.

[laughs]

We should grab a booth [stutters].

Suddenly I'm very hungry, are you hungry?

-I'm starving.
-Good.

-Okay.
-Good.

Okay, this one? Okay.

[sighs] Okay.

Gosh, I love this place.

It reminds me of this spot
me and my mom used to go to in Queens.

Yeah, me too, I love it.

I mean, my family and I
have been coming here for years.

It's partially why I agreed to come.
I don't get out much.

Gracias. [chuckles]

No, you, you. I want to watch you eat.

[chuckles]

[Danny boy chuckles]

[Danny boy] Mm!

-It's so good.
-Yeah, it's my favorite.

So, why not?

Why not what?

You said you don't get out much.
Why is that?

I don't know.
I haven't had the desire, I guess.

Why?

I don't know, to tell you the truth.

You're depressed?

Probably, yeah. Yes, I'm depressed.

I'm… I don't even know
what that means, exactly,

but, yeah, I have been down for sure.

Look, I don't mean
to come at you, it's just…

Fuck the small talk, you know?

I'm trying to get to know you.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know.

For some reason,
with you it's all right, talking.

I don't go for small talk either.

Yeah, I could see that [chuckles].

[chips crunching]

So what happened?

I don't know. I got lost somewhere

or just lost period,

and I haven't found my way back yet.

No, no, that sounds stupid.

My girl fell in love with another man
and she left me.

She moved away to Michigan
with our baby, Brandon.

Made me promise to let her raise
the new kid with a new man.

He was one of
my older brother Dayo's best friends,

and he said he's a good guy,
so at least there's that, right?

[waitress] Are you ready to order?

Could you just give us
a minute? Thank you.

I'm so sorry. That sounds terrible.

I mean, you must be heartbroken.

Broken?

My heart is gone. I…

Fuck my heart. I mean, I…

I mean,

I'd be fine, you know?

If my mind and the rest of my body
would just move on.

I don't believe that.

You're not the type to walk around
in this world without a heart.

Of course you have a heart,
it's just hiding.

-You don't know me.
-You know what?

I don't know you.

But I'm sitting at this table
looking right at you, and I see you.

[soft music playing]

Who are you?

I'm just me.

[laughs]

Look, I know what it looks like, okay?

But it was love,

and sometimes love
isn't supposed to last forever.

Sometimes love exists
just to create other things.

Like life. Like new chapters.

And, yeah, people can say
what they want about me,

but they don't know me.

They don't know how it broke.

How promises were…

[sighs]

And lies.

And, yeah, okay, there's… It's "my fault,"
like, there's "my part," of course.

But people, they don't know
what really happened.

And that's not what this date
is about. Anyway, so.

Hey, will you take me dancing?

-Dancing?
-Mm-hmm.

-You wanna go to a club, now?
-No, no, I don't, not really.

I just…

I…

We're on this date,

and I wanna do date stuff.

I wanna go dancing.

I can't drink, so I just wanna…

Right. You want me to take you dancing?

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah?

Cool, okay.

[cultural Filipino music playing]

[music continues]

I'm sorry.

Are you kidding?

This is amazing.

[music continues]

[music ends]

[crowd applauding]

["Kasama Kita" playing]

♪ I'm feeling so brand new ♪

♪ Yet it's something I know
I knew before ♪

♪ It feels like the first time ♪

♪ And I know that I want some more… ♪

May I have this dance?

Yes. [forced laugh]

I don't know how to cha-cha.

-I got you.
-Okay.

♪ I wonder ♪

♪ I wonder ♪

♪ I wonder ♪

♪ If you feel it too ♪

♪ When I'm with you ♪

♪ Do you feel it too ♪

♪ When I'm with you? ♪

♪ When I'm with you ♪

[song ends]

["Tired Eyes" by
Natural Afrodisiac playing]

[indistinct chatter]

♪ I don't know how to stop this ♪

♪ Could you believe I'm a loss for words ♪

-♪ But sometimes ♪
-♪ But sometimes ♪

♪ Each day I wonder ♪

♪ Am I ever gonna feel strong again ♪

♪ I'm going under ♪

♪ Can't stop thinking of ♪

♪ Your tired eyes ♪

♪ First thing in the morning ♪

♪ Your gracious smile ♪

♪ Heaven sent me an angel
'Cause I'm with my happiness ♪

♪ When can I see your face again? ♪

[speaking inaudibly]

♪ Down on my knees praying
For my long-distance friend ♪

[song ends]

Theresa hold on.

What's the matter?

Nothing. Leave me alone.

-Are you okay?
-Yeah, I'm fine, leave me alone.

-Where are you going?
-I don't know. It doesn't matter.

-What are you talking about?
-What are you doing?

Who the fuck are you, man?

Leave me alone. Go home.

I'm not gonna leave you here.

You asked me to come and meet you.

Yeah, but I didn't ask for that.

You said you wanted to go dancing,
so I took you dancing.

I didn't ask for this. It's too much.

[exhales] I'm just starting
to get my feet on the ground,

and I've done this already,
I have been here before.

And I'm not gonna let you do this to me.

I can't afford it. I'm too weak.

Plus I'm not even thinking about
just me anymore,

and this is not your responsibility.

We are not your responsibility.

Not like you can do anything
about it anyway.

You can't even locate your fucking heart.

I'm sorry.

Just, this was a mistake.

-All right, I'm going home.
-Don't do that.

Do what? Do what?

You said before
honesty was important to you.

It is, and I am being honest.

With me, maybe, but not with yourself.

You talk about yourself
like you're some kind of weak little thing

that everything just happens to,
but that ain't true.

You made all this happen,

and not because you're weak

but because you're strong.

You're like the sun.

The big, beautiful sun

that comes out and shines after
every storm no matter what.

You have the heart of a beast

and I feel it so strong

because I haven't even felt
my own heart in so long.

God, I am so sorry.

Look, when all this happened,

when I found out I was pregnant and he

left,

I thought that I was gonna die.

And it sounds stupid,
but I prayed on three wishes

like that was gonna
make everything better.

It was like a hope of a new life.

I'm good.

Anyway, my mom, she likes to shop,

and I guess this piece didn't suit her

because today she left it on my bed for me

and I love yellow.

I wished for a new dress.

[soft music playing]

I wished for someone to take me dancing.

And I wanted a guy to sing in my ear.

-Teresa…
-And…

Come to my place.

Danny.

I want you to listen to my music.

It's all I've been able
to do all this time,

and I want you to hear it.

Okay.

You ready?

Okay, good.

We gotta put these on.

Sorry, everybody's asleep.

-It's no problem.
-Okay.

Okay.

Okay, here we go.

[electronic music playing]

It's bad, huh?

I mean, I told you I've been down.

It's cluttered.

There's a lot of dissonance in there.

Yeah, it's super dark.

But there's something there.

Yeah?

-Yeah, my cousin.
-Mm-hmm?

Uh, he had one of these.

I heard this podcast about this nurse

who got all the dissonant sounds
in the hospital room in tune,

and it helped heal the patient.

-Really?
-Mm-hmm.

Just… just little tweaks

can make a big difference.

[electronic music begins to smooth out]

Beauty in the chaos.

Who are you?

I told you, I'm just me.

This is crazy. [giggles]

-Yeah?
-Yeah.

All this is…

It's happening so fast, and, like,

I have all these feelings that
I haven't felt in so long.

I wanted to, I wanna say...

Danny, you know what? It's late.

Why don't we just not talk, and listen?

-Yeah, okay.
-Okay?

-Yeah.
-Okay.

-Okay.
-Okay.

Yo, morning. You're cooking longganisa?

Yeah, come sit down.

-Good morning. Where's Sammy?
-She had an appointment.

Ma, I gotta take care of the kids.

So, how'd it go?

-What?
-The date?

-Oh yeah, the date.
-Yeah, I don't know, man.

He got in late, so he's still sleeping.

-Oh yeah?
-Yeah.

-How late?
-I don't know, bro. Late.

Like, I was up,
but yeah, I think it was late.

-Well, that's good news, right?
-Yeah, it's progress.

I mean, it's been a few years since he's
been out of the house, you know?

So, it's good.

Good.

Good, right?

Yes, David, you did a good job, okay?

I'm just saying, man. Just give me
some credit where credit's due, okay?

'Cause there are some things
I don't know about,

but then there are some things
that I kind of know about.

Yeah, well, what do you know
about this fried rice right here?

-It's SPAM.
-Oh, yo, yo, good morning.

-Morning, son.
-Pop.

So?

"So"?

How was your date?

Hey, can you just let
the guy have his coffee?

I'm just asking.

What? He's not wrong.
Let the man have his coffee.

-I just wanna know what's happening.
-[Danny boy] Good.

What?

Good. The date.

It actually went kind of good.

Well, see, there you go, man,
shit went good.

-I mean good like how good?
-Yeah, I mean who is she?

Is she a nice girl?

Well, she's here.

-What?
-She's here?

-You brought her home last night?
-Well, yeah, I'm sorry.

I would have let you know,
but I was late, you know, so.

No, it's okay, we're just surprised,
right, guys?

Good surprised.

Hey, did you guys fuck last night?

-[speaking Tagalog]
-[woman] David!

-What?
-The fucking kids, man.

-Dayo.
-[Dayo] David.

What? I'm just saying
what everyone's thinking.

You calm down, you guys,
she's sleeping up there.

-Oh no, she's up.
-[Dayo] She's awake?

-[David] What?
-She's… I was just getting her some tea.

-Well, if she's up, bringing her down.
-Yeah, we have breakfast, man.

-[Dayo] Come and eat.
-[David] Tea ain't breakfast.

-[Duke] Some Filipino breakfast.
-[Dayo] …brother, man.

-Let her know how us Filipinos roll.
-Okay, I'll go get her.

-All right, go… Yeah, man.
-[mom talks indistinctly]

-Wow.
-Damn.

I didn't know he was gonna bring her home.

I can't believe
he brought her home last night. Yo!

[Teresa] I wasn't ready to meet…

-I will, okay.
-[indistinct chatter from brothers]

-Hi.
-[David] Looks good, guys, looks good.

[dead silence]

[whoosh]

-[electronic music playing]
-So this is Duke.

-Hi.
-[awkwardly] Pleasure.

-Hey, I'm David.
-Hello.

-Yeah, you're welcome.
-He's the youngest brother.

-Oh, you're the one who did the app.
-Gotcha.

Okay. [laughs]

And this is my oldest brother, Dayo.

Dayo, hi. Teresa.

-Yo, what the fuck is going on here?
-Dayo, man!

What is this?
Is this some kind of joke or something?

-David, you're the one who set them up.
-What?

Hey, I'm so sorry, my family...

You seem really cool. Are you okay?

-Oh, yeah, yeah, it's just Braxton-Hicks.
-Braxton what?

-It's contractions. Fake contractions.
-Oh. Hey!

[chaotic angry shouting]

-You put your brother...
-Dayo, no, he did a good thing!

Okay, listen, everybody.
Everybody, listen.

Listen. This…

This is Teresa, okay.

She's pregnant yeah, very, very pregnant.

But she's also resilient a-and beautiful

and so alive and strong, and…

I don't even know how we met.
Okay? It's crazy.

I can't even understand it,
but she sees me,

and I her, okay?

I know…

I know I've been, I've been
messed up in the head

for a long time now, but, but…

Dayo, you've been,
you've been very kind to me,

and I appreciate that,

but I'm asking you,

please, please be kind to her too, okay?

Because…

I fell in love with her.

[Teresa giggling]

Wow.

-Okay.
-[Teresa] That's sweet.

This is awesome.

-You motherfucker!
-[mom screaming]

-[Dayo shouts angrily]
-Hey!

-Wait!
-[Dayo] Damn it! Goddamn it!

[Mr. Abasta] What are you...?

You guys are making fools of yourselves
in front of this woman.

That's okay, Mr. Abasta.

When are you guys gonna grow up?
Show some responsibility?

I've had it with you guys.

You boys think you rule everything.

All I see is you running away.

From your culture. From yourself.

Do you think you have control over love?

When it happens? Who it happens to?

As if you have a say.

But we know better, don't we?

[laughs]

Thank you. [sighs]

He's a good man.

A bit bruised,
but he comes from good roots.

You can't tell by all the commotion
between his brothers,

but if you can love him,
who are we to judge?

Yeah, bro, don't judge.

[Dayo clicks teeth]

-[yelps and groans]
-[splat sound]

[gasps] I think my water just broke.

[groans] What?

It's in my mouth.

[Duke] She said she had
Toni Braxton cramps!

-Oh man, what are we going to do now?
-Get Doris, she's a nurse.

[tinkling upbeat music playing]

These brothers,
these fabulous Filipino brothers,

are my brothers.

Yeah, I'm the youngest, the sister.

To which you say,
"I didn't know they had a sister."

And that's when I say,
"Yes, story of my life."

For a lot of families,
especially Filipino families,

it's all about the boys.

And I admit, yes, in my life,
it's been all about these boys.

But while they're running around
making a mess,

make no mistake,

it's the women in the family
who hold it down.

How far apart are the contractions?

I don't know, I haven't been
timing them. Ow! Ow!

It's okay. You're gonna be okay,
you just gotta breathe.

-Okay, okay.
-This is Teresa.

I am Doris, I am the sister.

Good one, David.

Let's get her in the hospital. Get her up.
Get her purse, David.

[David] Why me?
Why do I have to get the purse?

-I'm not going to make it.
-Stop, everybody. Turn it around.

-On the table.
-Clear the food.

[Doris] Dayo, get the gloves!
Danny boy, get some pillows!

-Let's go. It's okay, I got you.
-There's food here.

[Doris] Slowly, slowly, slowly.

There we go. There we go.

-[Duke] Towels!
-[David] I got the purse!

-Here are the gloves.
-You're late!

-[Doris] Then you're gonna push.
-[Teresa] Okay.

-Here it comes.
-Here it comes.

-[Doris] And, push!
-[all] Push!

[all screaming]

[soft music playing]

[woman] Good job, Felix.

[all] Cheese.

[photographer] Okay, let's go, one crazy.

[all cheering]

[upbeat music playing]

[inaudible]

[all cheering]

-Seven iron all day, I'll beat you.
-David.

-David.
-What?

-I'd like you to meet your cousin.
-Cousin?

Cousin's wife's sister
on Tita Beverly's side.

And she's recently divorced.

What's up, cuz?

["All I need" by happy sad face playing]
♪ Do you want to make it better… ♪

[Berto] Where is my princess,
my foxy princess?

There she is, oh, looking like
a Burmese Beyoncé, hey.

-What the fuck are you doing here?
-What do you mean?

-Is that the way you greet me?
-[second woman speaking Tagalog]

-That's what I'm saying.
-[speaking Tagalog]

-I don't speak Manny Pacquiao.
-Okay, Bert, come on, man.

-[Doris] Excuse me, Bert!
-[woman angrily speaking Tagalog]

[Dayo] You said you weren't
gonna be crazy.

-Your breath smells like dolphin feet!
-Shh! Grandma will hear!

Dayo, you didn't ask your sister
if you could invite him?

[Berto] Oh, I thought it was cool.

[Dayo] It's cool.
Oh, hey, look, I got this for you.

Come on.

Oh, hey, look, I got this for you.

Oh my gosh, is that circumcised?

[Dayo laughing]

Hey, Mr. Romance, how about a dance?

What? Look there's something
I have to tell you.

Hey, hey, whatever you have
to tell me, good or bad,

Is it gonna make you a better father?

Father? Oh.

Babe.

[narrator] Look I don't have the answers

to what that
brown bamboo fence looks like,

or who gets to have it and who doesn't.

To be honest,
it's a bit too idealistic for me.

I'm a single mom of two
living with my girlfriend these days.

Who would have thought?

All I can do is keep following
the example of Kuya Dayo,

always taking care of his.

Watch in awe as Duke
becomes a father of his own,

dance with David
during a good family karaoke party,

and see the rebirth of my brother Danny
as a new sunlight enters his life.

I said earlier that Filipinos
are good at adapting.

But now that I think about it,

I think it's more about accepting.

"Bahala na." Come what may.

Welcome to the family.

-[crowd cheering]
-[upbeat music playing]

["All I Need" by happy sad face playing]

♪ I've got all I need ♪

♪ I've got all I need ♪

♪ I've got all I need ♪

♪ I've got all I need ♪

♪ I've got all I need ♪

♪ I've got all I need ♪

Let me tell you a little bit
about Street Freaks.

They're all brothers,
and they're homegrown.

["Fab Filipino" by Dante Basco, Jay R]
♪ Yo, Filipino, Pittsburg California ♪

♪ Hey, Basco ♪

♪ Way back when we were just kids ♪

♪ I didn't even know how good it gets ♪

♪ Till I laced up my sneakers
And I left the crib ♪

♪ Be tight, that's right
I'm the best there is ♪

♪ One, two, three, four
Brothers out the door ♪

♪ We came a long way from
Sleeping on the floor ♪

♪ Filipinos to the core
Who could ask for more? ♪

♪ Can't ignore us
Or conform us to the norm ♪

♪ Just turned 16 in the El Camino ♪

♪ With the prom queen, Lai Lai Sereno ♪

♪ Smooth brown thighs, damn she's hot ♪

♪ So I took her on a date
To the parking lot ♪

♪ Little did she know
I'd never been kissed ♪

♪ Now it's ten years later
And we got three kids ♪

♪ That's how it goes
When you know, you know ♪

♪ Shout out to my bros
East Bay Filipino ♪

-♪ Fabulous ♪
-♪ From the bay to Angeleno ♪

♪ You a fab Filipino ♪

♪ So fabulous ♪

♪ In Manila who do we know? ♪

♪ Only fab Filipinos ♪

-♪ So fabulous ♪
-♪ If you Morena or Mestizo ♪

♪ You a fab Filipino ♪

♪ Fabulous ♪

♪ Tell your pops or your Tito ♪

-♪ You a fab Filipino ♪
-♪ Fab Filipino ♪

♪ We in Manila, illest killas
That you ever seen ♪

♪ Fresh off the plane
First time in the Philippines ♪

♪ You better know that
We making that peso ♪

♪ You know, the cheddar,
The moolah, the queso ♪

♪ Jason, Brando, Dinero, Pacino
Four brothers Filipino ♪

♪ Are they Asian or Latino? ♪

♪ Hey, what do we know? ♪

♪ We all pray to the same Santa Niño ♪

♪ We catchin' rays out here in El Nido ♪

♪ Cups full of vino like titas in Reno ♪

♪ Your girlfriend can't cha-cha ♪

♪ I think she needs a keynote, oh ♪

♪ Everywhere we go we got some friends ♪

♪ And some alcohol ♪

♪ Meet us at the PEN, SM
Or on Poblacion ♪

♪ Dirty ice cream while we
Lean on the palm trees ♪

♪ In the motherland, yo
It's crazy but it's calming ♪

♪ If you think I'm handsome,
Don't miss me just call me ♪

♪ Fabulous ♪

♪ From the bay to Angeleno ♪

♪ You a fab Filipino ♪

♪ So fabulous ♪

♪ In Manila who do we know? ♪

♪ Only fab Filipino ♪

♪ So fabulous ♪

♪ If you Morena or Mestizo ♪

♪ You a fab Filipino ♪

♪ Fabulous ♪

♪ Tell your pops or your Tito ♪

♪ You a fab Filipino ♪

♪ You got that Filipino love ♪

♪ You ain't never get enough ♪

♪ Never fake, never on a bluff ♪

♪ It's all up in our blood ♪

♪ You can't tell from my features ♪

♪ When I meet ya
Best believe I'm a crowd-pleaser ♪

♪ I'm a crowd-pleaser ♪

♪ That's right, that's right ♪

♪ Ain't nothing like Filipino girls ♪

♪ She'll change your life
She'll rock your whole world ♪

♪ One look from her dark brown eyes ♪

♪ You're hooked with a gorgeous smile ♪

♪ So fly, so fly, yeah ♪

♪ Fabulous ♪

♪ Fabulous ♪

♪ So fabulous ♪

♪ Fabulous ♪

[upbeat music playing]

♪ Yo, yo I gotta shout out
All my Filipinos ♪

♪ My uncles and my aunties
My titos and titas ♪

♪ Of course my parents
My grandparents, Lolo, Lola ♪

♪ My godparents, my ninongs and ninangs ♪

♪ Of course, all my thousands of cousins ♪

♪ I mean literally
I don't even know if we're by blood ♪

♪ But you all know we're related somehow ♪

♪ You're all my Filipinos ♪

♪ You're fabulous, fabulous ♪

♪ Something like that?
Something like that, Rawn? ♪

[electronic music playing]

[music fades]