Heavenly Touch (2009)

Heavenly Touch (2009)

 

Director: Joel Lamangan
Writers: Manny Valera (story), Joel Lamangan,
Genre: Drama
Country: Philippines
Language: Filipino, Tagalog
Year: 2009
Duration: 90 min

 

Stars: Paolo Serrano, Joash Balejado, Marco Morales, Gwen Garci, Paolo Rivero, Jeffrey Santos

 

Medical student Rodel supports his schooling by working nights at the Heavenly Touch Spa; a gay massage parlour. He likes working with his hands and his knowledge of anatomy makes him one of the most desired masseurs. When he discovers that his high school crush, Jonard, is unemployed, Rodel decides to teach him both the ropes and the rubs that will secure him a job at the spa.

Sexy, homoerotic and gay to the core, goes without saying. Yet this is equally a film that alternates its "when you've found the right person, you don't want to let go" theme with a telling depiction of the violent underbelly of massage parlour life, courtesy of gun-trotting heavy Tong. That it comes complete with a happy ending, is a spoiler, but given the plethora of bleak gay films of late, frankly that's something of a welcome relief. And boy, how these boys do kiss.