My Monster Mom

The visuals and style of writer-director Jose Javier Reyes' My Monster Mom doesn't differ from his previous work Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo and Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo. Incidentally, this movie's abbreviation is "MMM", and the others are "KKK" and "SSS".

Much of the movie is very good, but its suffered from the two leads' awful acting. Real life mother-daughter Annabelle Rama and Ruffa Gutierrez presents over the top acting. But the director plays much on the idea that they're awful actresses by using "jolly" lines.

Though Rama-Gutierrez display bad actings, the supporting cast does not. Eugene Domingo is at the top of the game like always as Rama's rich friend. Young actors/actress who hasn't performed well in the past has shown better acting, like Bubble Paraiso, Mart Escudero and Iwa Moto.

This is the story of Esme, who gave birth to Abagail when she was sixteen and what happens twenty seven years later when Abby comes to visit. She has an ulterior motive, she needs the birth father Waldo to sign some adoption papers. Abby has spent her entire life in the USA with Esme's brother looking after her, so now that the brother and his wife are gone, Abby needs to get Waldo to sign so she can inherit the money. From the beginning, mother and daughter clash, as Esme is very controlling, loud and somewhat feared and disliked by everyone she knows. The premise is okay, but the acting is serviceable at best. Ruffa Gutierrez is stunning, but kind of annoying & even whiny. Annibal Rama is a better actress, but also grates on you. Still, its a crowd pleaser because it has these two in it and it sort of works. Its made as if its just for profit and since so many films, especially in the United States, are made solely for that purpose, why can't they6 make them in the Phillipines also? Don't expect much and you'll be fine.