Joel Lamangan (who left Monday night for a week’s stay in California where he’ll deliver a speech in a Pinoy community) and writer Boni Ilagan (“Dukot”, “Deadline”) turn the story of Jodi into a real tearjerker and it succeeds in moving us to tears. We find two scenes particularly touching: when Jodi, who becomes catatonic after her ordeal, regains her senses upon seeing her husband (Allen Dizon), sister (Ryza Cenon) and ailing father (Tony Mabesa) on skype, and the final scene when she gets reunited with her husband after she went missing for more than two years. Make sure you have some tissue paper when you watch this film that will have its special all-day premiere on July 15, Sunday, exclusively at the Robinson’s Galleria Cinema 5 with screenings at 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM and the gala premiere at 7 PM sponsored by Gluta-C Intensive Whitening. After this, the film will be brought for screenings to OFW communities abroad and you might not have another chance to see it since it isn’t considered to be commercial.
The whole film, 70% of which was shot on location in Israel you feel like you’ve been to the Holy Land yourself, is a fine example of superb ensemble acting. Jodi but might be a Kapamilya star but she gets great support from Kapuso actors, notably Ryza as the younger sister she sent to nursing school who refuses to be an OFW, Rich Asuncion as another sister who brings nothing but problems to their family, Chynna Ortaleza and Luis Alandy as kind OFWs in Israel who take care of Jodi while she’s hiding from the law.
A standout is Racquel Villavicencio as the OFW in Italy who becomes very rich when her employer leaves her a huge inheritance. She rules all the scenes she’s in. Also giving splendid support are Jim Pebanco as the OFW who turns out to be HIV positive, Menggie Cobarrubias as the officer in the Philippine consulate in Israel who tries to help Allen, Tony Mabesa as Jodi’s dad who is the caretaker of a house in the Candaba swamps where migratory birds seek refuge, Bangs Garcia as Allen’s feisty mistress and the children of Jodi led by Barbara Miguel who is suffering from lupus. The scene of Jodi talking to her kids on skype is another intense heartbreaker.
