Crying Ladies

Although it's not a masterpiece of any sort, "Crying Ladies" deserves the Metro Manila Film Festival award for Best Picture, as compared to its fellow nominees. It had a simple plot, there were a few actors, there was not much distractions, editing was well done, the music was not overused, and the cinematography was impressive.

The plot revolves around three characters, one funeral, and a string of realizations. Sharon Cuneta did well as the main character, Angel Aquino did fine as well. However notable are Hilda Koronel and Eric Quizon, who also won acting awards in the MMFF. Hilda Koronel, especially, did a fantastic job, and she her character was solid, and witty. Eric Quizon had a grayer area in his character, but he had some moments where his character got separated and distinguished from his usual roles.

Editing was good, while cinematography was impressive. Philippine cinema has never been this good.

The soundtrack is good, and spunky, especially "Magbago Ka."

Not a masterpiece and not exactly an art film, if you're watching MMFF films, this should be on top of your list. This film is witty, spunky, and yet not at all preachy; a good, light-hearted movie. 9/10

it was not that "earth shaking" nor did it "lack substance". it could have been "whimsical", but this i can attest, it truly deserved the honor of being named best picture of the 2003 metro manila film festival. among the qualified contenders in the aforementioned film festival include bridal shower (a wonderful sex comedy) and mano po 2 (a domestic family drama that has no relation with the original).

crying ladies is a well-written comedy with notable performances delivered by its leads, particularly hilda koronel. sharon cuneta and eric quizon contributed their share of the goods but for mr. quizon to win the best supporting actor plum for the role he portrayed may be pushing it too far considering other notable performances in other competing films. ms. cuneta is rarely seen in a comedic role which makes her performance totally refreshing.

the movie is not dragging; the script a palanca awardee.

Crying Ladies definitely has its moments. The beautifully-shot scenes of a traditional Chinese funeral lend a cultural richness and international appeal to the film. The comedy is raw and unpretentious; a very Filipino sense of humor shines through. There are poignant, delicately human scenes when the characters get drawn by the real tears shed by the bereaved family so that it is difficult to tell whether they were still crying for pay or just being participants of a shared broken humanity. And there is a very endearing, sincere quality about the characters of Crying Ladies, owing a lot to the first-rate portrayal of the lead actors led by Sharon Cuneta. Her conflicted Stella is thoroughly real; with just the right amount of goofball doses to make her likable. Tough critics from the New York Times and Village Voice gave her the "two thumbs up," even when they point out the film's flaws.

And flaws there are, one of which is the film's uneven editing– languishing unnecessarily in some sequences and sloppily breaking narrative continuity here and there.

Nonetheless, Crying Ladies succeeds in presenting a whimsical glimpse of how adept Pinoys are at turning tears into laughter... so seamlessly, and without bitterness.

I watched this film in Germany. Looking at the cover alone, I thought it would be a drama but people told me, it was suppose to be a comedy with interludes of emotional scenes. As I watched the introduction, I already noticed that this film had at least high quality production. And even the entering music was great. Another good thing was that the visual scene of the entire movie was very clear, compared to most Filipino movies. Well, it's because good quality equipments were used in this film. One thing I liked the most about this film are the sound effects. Those were the only elements that gave feeling and justice to the acting if the casts. I found the crying of the mourners very corny. The whole plot of the story, I really don't know what to say. Nothing really special. It didn't touch me at all. But the cast played their roles very well. Also the written script was good. Many people hated it and found it corny. But I have to admit that it was somewhat heart-warming. I also noticed after watching the movie that this film pays tribute to the Philippines' Filipino-Chinese heritage and I know that cultural movies do well internationally, which actually was true. For the average Filipino movie, I do not think this one is really anything special. I also don' understand why many people love this film so much. But it is weird that I find it unique in a way. Maybe it's because this film is a refreshment for Philippine cinema. I highly recommend this movie to people who are interested in foreign customs and cultures. I'm sure it will be an eye opener!

My friends and I viewed this a week ago with breathless anticipation. Receiving accolades from various award giving bodies in Manila and handpicked to represent the Philippines in this year's Oscar, we expected this film to follow the ranks of some of the best Filipino movie classics that were previously shown abroad. Unfortunately, we were left feeling cheated and disappointed.

The Good Points: The production design, cinematography, sound and the technical framework of the film were exceptional. Truly ahead of all the other films currently being produced in the Philippines nowadays. Some aspects of the film's dialogue were funny, especially the interaction of the couple who reside right above Cuneta's apartment. That was just simply hilarious. Koronel's acting was also the best in the film - in fact, I think it was the saving grace of the whole flick. Every time she graced the screen, she was superb, and her Darna stint was funny as well.

The Bad Points: Cuneta's acting was lackluster (I still think she can do best in drama films over comedy ones). The insertion of Cuneta ads (i.e. Alaska and McDonalds) was just plain tacky. Also, Cuneta's portrayal of a poor, struggling city lady was unbelievable and unrealistic. She, with her porcelain white skin, looked like she just recently re-bonded and highlighted her hair. She just didn't quite suit this role (to her credit, she's one of the best dramatic actresses in Philippine Cinema). Moreover, I think the film researchers didn't really do their job well. Some of the street scenes were not based on facts. When Cuneta tried to extort money in a passenger bus, almost all gave money, mostly in bills, to support her plight. This doesn't happen at all, much less, in ordinary buses. Secondly, when Cuneta paid her fees in the jeepney, nobody attempted to help her pass on the money to the driver. This does not happen at all either. Jeepney passengers, as protocol, almost reflexively, will extend their arms to help pass on fees to the driver. For someone who loves watching realism in Philippine Cinema, these scenes will not fail to disappoint.

To end, I think this film was vastly overrated. Don't expect too much from this film. However, I'd recommend it for Koronel's acting and some hilarious dialogues that, sadly, only come in spurts.

3/10