Three young and good-looking brothers live with and support their parents in Manila in the Philippines . They dance at the male "Club Exotica" and work as homoerotic Sibak or "macho dancers," better described as hustlers or male prostitutes. Joel at 21 has a wife and child, plus a regular boyfriend. Dennis, the middle brother, likes the wild scene of pick-ups. He and Joel are saving money to buy back lost family land on the island of Cebu. Sonny is the youngest and has dropped out of university. He sees dancing as a way to make money and spends time with Michelle, a transvestite. Dennis and his pals steal car radios. When a homeless youth who is not what he appears to be moves in, a chain of events is set in motion that brings tragedy. The colorful gay world of Manila livens up the almost documentary-style story of the daily lives of these men and their families, and the tale comes to a sudden, dramatic conclusion.
Overall the film is honest, disturbing, but ultimately depressing. This movie is not a typical gay film, although there are predominantly gay themes in the story that are treated with dignity and sensitivity. As well, there are some sexually explicit parts and some poorly choreographed violence. "Sibak" has a strong plot and gives a gritty insight into the way of life some people must follow. It has drama, comedy, tragedy, romance and kinship. One of the most popular Filipino films abroad, this is an acclaimed semi-sequel to Lino Brocka's "Macho Dancer" (also scripted by Ricardo Lee). Directed by Mel Chionglo, the cast includes: Ryan Aristorenas, Perla Bautista, Noni Buencamino, Richard Cassity, Grandong Cervantes, Luis Cortez, Lawrence David, Alex Del Rosario, Gino Paul Guzman, Leonard Manalanson, John Mendoza, Cherry Pie Picache, Danny Ramos, and Gandong Vervantes Jr. Ricardo Lee wrote the screenplay, and Nonong Buencamino and Ramon Reyes composed the original music. In Tagalog with English sub-titles. The English title is "Midnight Dancers".
