There’s not much of a story in the movie produced by BG Productions of Mrs. Baby Go, but the narrative revolves on six children. The most prominent ones are played Vince Magbanua as the effeminate MC and Therese Malvar as Jessica who’s ailing from leukemia. They consider each other their BFF (best friends forever). Both of them are splendid in their respective roles. The other kids are played by Miggz Cuaderno, Felixia Dizon (the daughter of Allen Dizon who was so effective in “Magkakabaung”), Erica Yu and Mona Louise Rey. Mona is not really a patient but the daughter of one of the managers of Child Haus, Grace (Leni Santos). They all give adequate performances.
The parents are played by Katrina Halili, Ina Feleo, Christopher Roxas and other supporting players. But the one who stands out is the scene-stealing Mailes Kanapi who goes to town in one tuhog scene where she gets so hysterical after people gang up on her and she easily makes lamon to everyone in the cast. Mailes is one formidable co-star as she has done this before in other movies, just like in “Mangatyanan” as the very assertive publishing boss and in “Hustisya” where she chew the scenery as a lesbian inmate. Masyadong malakas ang dating.
What we like about the movie, even if the screenplay is so underwritten you’d wish you were supplied with more relevant information about each of the characters so you can cultivate more sympathy for them, is that it’s a potential tear jerker but it doesn’t force you to cry. The anticipation of death is like the sword of Damocles hanging on the heads of most of the major characters but they try not to dwell on this. We see the children playing, laughing, joking together, never crying or pitying themselves.
The death of one of the children could have easily been milked dry to make the audience shed tears but it is effectively done with restraint. In the end, the scene where one child survivor gets to return home to their province and go kite flying with his family conveys hope and turns the film into a celebration of life, not death. As the end credits are flashed on screen, the audience at the SM Megamall where the movie was premiered gave it a big and hearty round of applause.
