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Aiza (Rufa Mae Quinto) and Desiderio (Bayani Agabayani) grow up together as friends, just like
their fathers who are comrades in the military. To their parents' chagrin, Aiza acts like a tomboy, and they suspect Desiderio to be gay. Both dutiful children, they obey
their parents gun point for them to get married in Church and begin their life together. Relocated to a new neighborhood, they give free reign to their "inclinations" and
impose an arrangement between them: Aiza acts as the husband Ace and Desiderio as Daisy, the wife. Their helpfulness makes them popular with their neighbors who accept them as
a couple, until Ace gets pregnant. This new development leads to comic adventures as they try with all their ingenuity, to hide their true genders.
Following her recent hit movie Booba, Rufa Mae Quinto trades gags with funnyman Bayani
Agbayani and succeeds in making viewers laugh. Although the comic situations are too contrived, the chemistry, timing and punchlines of the lead stars make Baliktaran
a hilarious experience, even without the slapstick humor director Al Tantay usually succumbs to. Except for the laughs, don't expect any cinematic elements worthy of note.
Baliktaran attempts to show in a funny way the impossibility of successfully carrying off one's homosexual or lesbian orientation in a man-woman relationship. The ugliness of blackmail to further one's ambitions is exposed but what is dangerous here is the manner by which violence is clothed with humor. The inclusion of some unnecessary violent scenes to provide some action and "fun" may be disturbing for viewers below 14 years old.
(Date reviewed: May 11, 2001)
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