Review: 'Pang MMK' never really feels like an MMK episode nor a parody

(Cinema One Originals 2018 is upon us. Click here for the reviews of the feature films and here for your guide to the festival)

‘Pang MMK’ plays as a follow-up to one of the episodes in noon-time drama anthology MMK, wherein a father leaves his family for a mistress, eventually creating repercussions to his two children. Decades after, which this film is set, the father passed away, and chaos ensues once the legitimate children, all grown up, interacts with the woman who tore their family apart. 

Contrary to expectations, ‘Pang MMK’ never really feels like an MMK episode nor a parody. Program host Charo Santos-Concio appeared to narrate the story, but it feels her absence would not even matter since the story can stand on its own, with or without the source material. I believe this film could benefit more as a straight-up drama, partly because a lot of the comedy here did not land as it wants to be. Jokes sometimes came out of nowhere, or just downright confusing. 

John Lapus, on his feature-length debut, needs to improve more on how to balance his jokes and drama. Nevertheless, I still enjoy some of the choices here, specifically the casting of Neil Coleta as Janus. At times, I really sense Coleta is doing an impersonation of Lapus. Is the story really autobiographical as one reporter mentioned in a press conference? Doesn’t matter. 

I really want to like this movie even more. I wish Lapus get to reconstruct this film and make it into something that will either go for a full MMK parody that is overdramatic. Some of the more overexaggerated performances here just couldn’t catch up with the tone laid down for the most part.

I would still recommend ‘Pang MMK’ though. I laughed a couple of times. I got hooked on some moments. Might not be your cup of tea, but I had a decent time with it. 

'Pang MMK' is part of Cinema One Originals 2018, which is currently running until October 21, 2018.

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