Ina deliciously absurd

Don’t be deceived by the playfulness of its title. To say Ang Tanging Ina Mo may sound naughty to the ear, but from its first installment, this comedy film series had always pushed for Filipino values.

And now comes the supposedly final chapter: Ang Tanging Ina Mo… (Last Na ‘To), First Best Picture winner in the ongoing 36th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). I doubt, however, if this is really going to be the last of the series. With its success, there may still be a Last na Last next year.

In fact, I am hoping that its creators won’t stay true to their word and come up with another one — soon. I am saying this because I thoroughly enjoyed this Star Cinema movie that brought home a truckload of trophies in last Sunday night’s MMFF Gabi ng Parangal.

In this edition, Ai-Ai de las Alas battles — no, not Star Cinema for ending the series, but the Big C. Before she goes, she tries to put everything in order and gathers all her children. She does not succeed in completing them, however. It’s not the network war that prevents her from having a grand family reunion though. Her first-born in the story, Marvin Agustin, may now be a Kapuso (he was with ABS-CBN when the series began), but GMA 7 still allowed him to return to his home turf for this movie project. (Who says the network had become hopelessly vicious?) Now, nobody knows why Heart Evangelista was unable to accept even a guest role in this film. It would have been a nice touch to see her there even for a brief part since everyone else made the effort to be in this reunion movie — some even flying back from abroad where they are now based.

As for the four dead husbands, everyone resurrects from the grave, save for Edu Manzano. Don’t ask me why either. But Jestoni Alarcon, Tonton Gutierrez and Dennis Padilla come back to life in the story of this supposed final episode. How? Trust director Wenn Deramas and writer Mel del Rosario to make that happen. Their collaborative effort to mount this Ang Tanging Ina edition was rewarded with the Best Director, Story and Screenplay awards from the MMFF board of jurors.

Absurdity actually flies all over Ang Tanging Ina Mo… (Last Na ‘To). Oh, but everything is deliciously absurd. You wouldn’t mind the silliness of some of its scenes since these are so funny and creative. Deramas really gives his all to this project — like there’s no tomorrow. This is the reason why I believe he had every intention to end this movie series, except that in the entertainment profession, no one can tell what will happen next. To borrow a mangled showbiz phrase: You can never “can” tell.

Some of Deramas’ scenarios may be out of this world, but everything works and each one is able to achieve its purpose — to amuse and entertain. His work here is so much better than the one last year where the character of Ai-Ai is made president of the Philippines. While nothing beats the original, I’d like to say that this Ang Tanging Ina version surpasses the laughs of the first one, which was also a huge hit that installed Ai-Ai as a box-office queen. 

And Ai-Ai — she is truly the festival’s Best Actress. Not only does she do comedy here. She also tries drama and proves to be effective in it, too. Her easy shift actually makes me suspect she could be schizophrenic. But really, it’s just her in-born talent to entertain.

Eugene Domingo also lends in this movie her great acting gift to amuse and she also is so deserving of her Best Supporting Actress award from the MMFF. The two top comediennes don’t steal scenes from each other. They work together instead to come up with hilarious scene after scene.

Even the other cast members contribute greatly to the film’s success as a comedy and I have to single out Dennis Padilla for his short, but marked guest appearance in this version of Ang Tanging Ina. This is truly one movie where the truly talented comics get to express their talent.

And where true gift gets rewarded with MMFF trophies.