'Bridal Shower' biggest, most welcome surprise in film fest.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Nestor U. Torre

WE viewed all of the nine entries in the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival before the film fest opened last Dec. 25. However, since we were a festival juror, we have refrained from commenting on the films until after the awards night last Saturday.

We start our MMFF movie rundown with "Bridal Shower," which begins its film fest run (along with "Gagamboy") today. Truth to tell, we can't understand why the movie's showing was deferred, except possibly for its sexy orientation. But this didn't bother the MMFF in past years, so the mystery remains.

In any case, the film should click with viewers because it's both well-made (by Jeffrey Jeturian) and entertaining. To our mind, it's the biggest and most welcome surprise in the MMFF.

At first glance, it's "just" a sex comedy-but the production soon serves notice that it has much more than laughs and skin going for it.

"Bridal Shower" quickly and effortlessly involves moviegoers in its amusing and bemusing story of three women looking for Mr. Right-in a modern world where so many men are so terribly wrong. It's a quandary that quite a lot of women face these days, so audience empathy is strong. Also involving are the lead performances of Dina Bonnevie, Cherry Pie Picache and Francine Prieto, with Picache pacing the gifted and spirited field.