A Mother's Story

It was way back in the 90's when Vilma Santos starred in a film that tackles the life and hardships of Overseas Filipino Workers.The film was a success as it presents a realistic view of the life of those who work outside of the country and the family that was left here. Several years later, another film is made but it stars a comedian but has experienced first hand the journey of an OFW.

Star Cinema embarks once again in familiar waters as it presents another tearjerker of a very familiar plot. The mother needs to go outside the country and work hard for a financially-ailing family. The children feels that they are abandoned by their mother and becomes rebellious against her and the spouse ends up having an affair. She feels that her children has grown up apart emotionally. In words to describe this movie, it is a deja vu of "Anak."

What sets this movie apart from Anak is that it is more personal than the latter. To cast someone who has personally experienced all the hardships of being an OFW brings out the sincerity of the story making it more believable and engaging. Medy, who is played by Pokwang, is a mother of two children who went to the States for a week engagement as a Make-up artist for a celebrity. She decided to stay in the US as an illegal immigrant  when her youngest child needed medical assistance, jumping from one job to another with the help of her friend (Beth Tamayo) until she landed a job as a housekeeper in a family who treated her miserably. After 7 years, she went back to the Philippines after escaping from the clutches of her demeaning employers only to face another challenge of regaining the love of her children and husband.

A Mother's Story is a heavy drama which Filipinos adore so much. It is heavily injected with tear-jerking moments but somehow did not feel cliched at all. The lines are cliched but then there is something genuine on how those lines were uttered. Pokwang provided a very consistent display of acting that it does not feel so awkward. If "Anak" tackled the relationship of a mother and daughter, A Mother's Story tackled the multidimensional aspect of the family, however, somehow lacked depth and focuses more on the problem rather than the root of it. The scene in which Daria Ramirez asked Pokwang what really happened to her in the US is the most heartbreaking moment between two mothers as they weigh their decisions and the outcomes of it. Ana Capri, although has very little screen time provided a very powerful confrontation scene with Pokwang.

A Mother's Story may feel like reboot from Anak but it is like eating a slice of pizza years back and tried the same thing again, the only difference is that the flavors stays longer in your tongue.

GRADE: B+


trailer