Rafael is a village mayor caught in the murderous crossfire of the Philippine-American War. When U.S. troops occupy his village, Rafael comes under pressure from a tough-as-nails officer to help the Americans in their hunt for Filipino guerilla fighters. But Rafael's brother is the head of the local guerillas, and considers anyone who cooperates with the Americans to be a traitor. Rafael quickly finds himself forced to make the impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by ordinary civilians in an occupied country.
Direction
Sayles refuses easy heroes in occupied Philippines.
Writing
Dialogue in three languages, none fully trusted.
Acting
Ronnie Lazaro's face says everything unspeakable.
Director
John Sayles
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sayles shot entirely in the Philippines with local actors speaking Tagalog, Ilocano, and Spanish—rare Hollywood respect for the colonized perspective in this war.
The title's bitter irony: 'amigo' is what occupying soldiers call Rafael while forcing impossible choices on him. Friendship as colonial weapon.
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