Gabby needs more mature roles 

MANILA —If Gabby Concepcion wants to effect a good comeback in the biz, he has to do better than his portrayal in his recent horror flick, “White House.” The film simply didn’t come up with the goods as far as genuinely chilling harum-scarum tactics are concerned.

Come to think of it, Gabby shouldn’t be rapped for the production’s insufficiencies. And the film does have some bright spots, like its plot conceit about a TV reality challenge show that requires some ambitious, young people to live in a haunted house to win a million bucks.

But, the way in which that promising concept is fleshed out falls short on point of creativity, believability and real terror, so the viewer is often left confounded rather than terrified.

Character
As for Gabby’s lead portrayal, it fails to be dynamic and absorbing because (among other things) he’s miscast as a “spirit investigator” or ghostbuster. He lacks the sensitivity and “interiority” for such a character, so his scenes come off as predictable instead of insightful and “connected” to a world beyond or beneath our own.

To make his comeback bid more effective and successful, Gabby should motivate his handlers to find projects for him that are better suited to his “mature leading man” persona. Horror films are simply a distracting and unproductive detour from his strongest suit.

What could work for Gabby may be a romantic dramathat features two couples—one young, the other mature—who get involved with each other in unexpected and shifting configurations of relationships that say a lot about the confounding vagaries of love, passion and human nature.

Each of the four stars involved would have challenging and textured roles to play, and Gabby would have a better opportunity to strut his mature thespic stuff.

Screen persona
It really is about time for him to no longer try to pass himself off as a “fairly young” actor. Yes, he’s retained his looks, but viewers know that his daughter, KC, is already in her early or mid-20s, so that defines their psychological appreciation of Gabby’s screen persona now.

Given the right material, Gabby could still make it as a mature or maturing star—but, astute and realistic showcasing is key.

It would also help if he distanced himself from daughter KC and ex-wife Sharon Cuneta. Yes, a moviewith either or both of them would help his career—but only for the short term. If he wants a longer comeback, he has to make it on his own as a mature dramaticand/or rom-com actor.

If reference to KC and Sharon keep getting into the picture, they would only make it that much more difficult for viewers to focus on Gabby as he is now, with his special goal and challenge of making it again in Philippine show biz as a mature entertainer.