It seems that veteran teleplay and screenplay writer Gina Marissa-Tagasa‘s favorite star to portray the mother characters she writes is Sylvia Sanchez.
In 2018, Sanchez also gave life to [another] Tagasa’s envisioned story for another film, Mama’s Girl for Regal Films.
Since the yearly film festival aims to provide its intended audiences–the Filipino families with a kind of entertainment that could likely be palatable to the entire family, this family drama is perhaps a great choice.
The trailer may have suggested it as a Jinggoy Estrada film, yet Adolfo Alix Jr.‘s entry (based on his story) to the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival is rather the opposite. It could be Estrada’s comeback film after a long period of absence on the silver screen–Sanchez still stands out.
https://youtu.be/PQDkytQ9pqs
The story is already a familiar one. Like I have said, it reminds me of the character of Sanchez from her hit drama series and that Regal film that failed to make a mark at the box-office two years ago.
It is Salve’s dream for her children to live happily after working hard to raise them alone. After her daughter Sally’s (Shaira Diaz) wedding, she feels she has accomplished seeing her children giving tribute to her. Unknown to her, a big surprise awaits when they arrived home and found her unconscious ex-husband by the gate. She accepts him and even helps him get well. Benny’s return will open Pandora’s box. It will affect the relationship between the whole Librada family.
Sylvia Sanchez as Salve Librada and Edgar Allan Guzman, Neb Librada, respectively–deserve their nominations. Sadly, Estrada’s constipated acting is not worth celebrating. But, what can we do–he is the producer of the film? A far better actor could have assumed his role. While the inclusion of the former beauty queen-turned-actress, Ara Arida who needs to undergo further acting workshops to channel the appropriate facial expressions in her scenes.
Being the parents of six children, Benny and Salve find themselves as a stretch. For a full-length film–it is a difficult task to detail each of the children’s journeys. Vin Abrenica and Julian Estrada as SJ and Berns Librada didn’t quite find any anchor. Theirs were like trinkets to add more sparkle (issue) on the family tree.
As a whole, if the family wants to see a film that tackles family matters, then this film is an ideal treat. But mind you, the film is (somehow) reminiscent of Gloria Romero’s 2000 film Tanging Yaman.
