The D Spot

Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat is a sequel to the movie, Ang Tanging Ina. It is top billed by Ai Ai delas Alas and supported by other members of the cast that includes Shaina Magdayao, Carlo Aquino, Alwyn Uytingco, Eugene Domingo, Cherry Pie Picache, John Prats, Gloria Diaz, DJ Durano, Serena Dalrymple, Jiro Manio, Yuuki Kadooka, Roldan Aquino, Jaymee Joaquin, Andrew Wolfe, Bianca and Janel Calma.

I must not have come with great expectations—this would already give you an idea of how I found the movie. It’s the top grosser and the second best MLFF festival movie, yes, but in terms of substance and quality–it is shallow, mababaw lang. This must be the reason why it did not have major awards in the MMFF.

I watched Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat with my 3 boys, 2 girls and my mother in Eastwood Cinema on Saturday night. We had a great time with the first movie, Ang Tanging Ina, so we thought it would be great to watch the sequel.

The Movie

Ina Montecillo a mother of 12 worked different jobs, including odd jobs (like a stunt double) just to support her children. Ina found out that she was not anymore important to her children who forgot her 46th birthday. This prompted her to go back to school to learn while working in the evening. She wanted her children to be proud of her.

By a stroke of luck (twist of fate, I mean), Ina became the president of the Philippines—what a big joke it was! In fairness, though, the director and scriptwriter, stayed away from political undertones (even if in truth, what has been happening with our presidency and everything about it is such a BIG JOKE, sorry for this aside). There were glimpses of the country’s ills and socio-political problems. I won’t continue further and be a spoiler.

Ina’s national policies defying logic, with her sidekick Rowena, became the movie’s center of humor—but they were rather senseless and too tiring, undermining the intelligence of the viewers. There was an overload of mangled quotes and sayings, they were not funny anymore. One, two or three quotes are enough. But more than 10?

Lucky for the director and scriptwriter, the movie’s saving grace toward the end brought tears to the viewers’ eyes, and to mine—it touched the hearts of any mother who will give up anything, like power and money for the sake of family. And to be humble, to say “I am sorry” with sincerity (unlike another person we all know), acknowledge her inefficiency from lack of education and understanding to rule a country, and to know when it is time to give up a position as prestigious as the presidency.

All in all, the movie made me laugh (and cry in between) with the audience, but as I said earlier, as the movie progressed, I got tired with an overload of mangled quotes. The movie was shallow, as in mababaw lang. It’s obvious Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat is a kapamilya movie. If you are a kapuso, you will not be able to catch up with the kapamilya scenes and humor and really appreciate them.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I am giving the movie a rating of 6.

Post script

By the way, during the light moments after the movie, while having our fill of DQ ice cream, I asked my kids, “C’mon, tell me now what you feel I did not fulfill right as a mother. One time big time, tell me what you have in your hearts? Any complaints? Any feelings kept at bay?”.

“Oh, momster, you’re becoming emo again.” One of the kids said. I urged them to tell me anything, just like in the movie when Rowena and Ina had an emotional discussion with the children

“Momster, you sign our Reply Slips without reading them,” said Alan Jr.

“What’s the big deal about that?” I asked.

“None po, okay lang”.

“Good.”

“Mom, you are very masungit when you have deadlines.” Chato said, and the others agreed.

“Because I want to be done fast so I can have time with you. Any problem with that?”

“None po, okay lang, but how I wished there were no deadlines”.

“Mommy, I wished you were more strict, so that I would have higher grades.” said Pau.

“Why? What is wrong with your grades and do you really want me to be strict with you?”

“My A- in one subject is down to B-.”

And the boys said, “Why do we have high grades?”

“So, it’s your fault, not mine, and you have lots of extra-curricular activities” I said, and Pau agreed (in the morning, I found scribbles all over my legs, saying I love you Mom).

“Ma, I can’t say anything now because we have no issue at the moment, but you know that when I want to say something, I always speak out.” that’s Vince.

And BA could only hug me his best hug and say, “We love you Ma—you’re the best!”

End of discussion.

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