Ikaw pa lang ang minahal

Top calibre performance from Maricel Soriano as Adela, the long suffering daughter of Maximo (Eddie Gutierrez ). From childhood, she feels unloved. So when a young, dashing David (Richard Gomez) came along, she was swept off her feet. But is David true to her words? Adela's father threatened to disown her if she will marry David, but Adela insists to go with David. Her father cannot contain himself anymore, and revealed to her that David could not love her, because he himself cannot find anything beautiful with his own daughter. Adela lost it and gave up her virginity to David. Siguion reyna's masterpiece is still a gem after years have passed. This is a top calibre drama from the director during his heydays and one of Soriano's best until now. Her scenes with Gutierrez are worth watching again. In the end, this is a story of forgiveness and learning to love oneself before anything else.

IPLAM is a Filipino version of the movie the Heiress, where a meek daughter of a very mean man falls in love with a mysterious fellow. His disapproving father goes onto a rampage to prove that it was a sham AND was sadly proven right. Distraught, she musters on and tries to get things right.

I personally found the changes specifically with the father-daughter dynamic towards the end a bit disappointing but I guess it was made to compensate with the lighter ending of this film. I personally found the vagueness and ultimate hatefulness of the main relationship of the original film (and story) much more impactful BUT the ending and the performance really lifts up this film.

MARICEL SORIANO is a star. She is perfectly directed (as she tends to overact) and her change from a frumpy loner to a woman is meticulously done. Charito Solis was also a delight, as the auntie who got herself into into deep with her meddling. I have few reservation against with Gomez and Guiterrez's performances. They were serving wooden in parts.

Overall, a great interpretation of the material with great direction. Wonderful cinematography too. I think this was made by the same team that made the equally beautiful Karnal.

Highly recommended.