Linbeymusol
Wonderful character development!
AniInterview
Sorry, this movie sucks
Dorathen
Better Late Then Never
Gutsycurene
Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.
joshuamanimtim2
Saw this film while channel surfing.Hey, ain't I right? Almost all Filipino movies contain the same plot (Lust-Love-Death-Drama...) recently.The plot:A mother taking care of his son who is being claimed by her former husband,While looking for a decent job, she decided to apply as a "crying lady" (women who would wail in front of a casket in a funeral, I don't know why).I was never a fan of locally-made films but hey! This change my attitude towards them.Possibly the best Filipino film I have ever watched.
kcabad-1
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
circletimessquare
I saw this movie in Cebu (middle of Philippines) a month ago. I do not understand Tagalog, so I got a whispered translation in the theatre.Even so, the jokes came through, and they were intelligent and fresh, as is the story. It is not a fluff piece, but neither is it not a melodrama. It is a good story about three middle aged women slogging through various crises in their lives, all caught through the lens of a man coping with the death of his father, whose lifetime secrets reveal themselves.The running joke about the waylaid sunglasses, stolen by Sharon Cuneta from Eric Quizon after he forgets them, and how they wind up on the face of the police officer who escort's the funeral procession is pretty funny, as is the story of the final days of Sharon Cuneta's relationship with her soon-to-be-taken-from-her son touching.My advise: see it and enjoy it, it is worth your time.
jasjgm
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