I made it a point to catch this movie when it hit limited release before the annual film festival in Manila that starts on Christmas Day. Tandem is about twobrothers who make ends meet by riding in tandem in a motorbike, circle the city to find their victims. Roman, a gun for hire before he got jailed, tries to protect his younger brother, by keeping their crimes limited to "low risk". Rex played by JM de Guzman, grows restless and wants more action. Roman is expecting his first child while Rex is in a relationship with a club singer. Due to their low income, the two brothers planned to rob a bag with 80k cash, when things go wrong. This is a hard look at city crime involving relatable characters. It's fast paced, with believable dialogue and a satisfying ending. If you liked On the Job (Matti), then you will surely enjoy this movie. They should show this instead of the crappy movies starting December 25, which has been the usual fare for several years now.

Tandem is absolutely stunning visually, but never does this film let you forget what it's about.Two brothers involved in a life of crime trying to earn enough to get by. One with an expecting wife, they other young and in love. You build close relationships to the characters, but Tandem never rewards the audience with hope or happiness.The entire film is filled with brilliant views of the city, homes and hangouts, and places of business that the brothers, Rexton and Roman, frequent. Manila is so essential to the narrative, that the city's importance is constantly being visually reinforced but subtly enough that it never detracts from the performances or plot.Tandem's harrowing depiction of the brothers' struggle to survive makes this film truly worth viewing. There is a constant desire for more, and it delivers almost every time. My only disappointment is I was left feeling somewhat unsatisfied when the credits began to play as there is so much more story and life to uncover in this world of motorcycle crime.