Superstar
Nora Aunor Fan Site
Nora Aunor Fan Site
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
REVIEW: Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.
Butch Franciso Philippine Star, 1992
ELWOOD PEREZ’S GREAT FIX-UP JOB
Nora Aunor is now the undisputed queen of the Metro Filmfest --- a feat that
will be quite difficult to duplicate.
In 1978, the festival committee decided to do away with the best actor,
actress, supporting actor, supporting actress categories and simplified the
whole process by naming just one acting winner who was called best
performer.
Nora Aunor topped that acting contest for her performance in “Atsay.”
The following year, Nora again figured prominently in the filmfest when she
shared the best actress award with Lolita Rodriguez who was her co-star in
“Ina Ka ng Anak Mo.”
In 1982, Nora was back in fighting form with her moving portrayal of a
visionary in “Himala” which won for her that year’s Metro Filmfest best
actress trophy.
Two years later, Nora --- in “Bulaklak sa City Jail” --- was adjudged best
actress for the fourth time by the filmfest’s board of judges.
Last year, Nora’s slackening career was given a shot in the arm with that
Metro Filmfest best actress trophy she won for “Andrea, Paano Ba ang
Maging Isang Ina?”
Last December, Nora did it again with her colorful performance in ang “Ang
Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.”
So far, Nora has in her collection six best actress trophies from the Metro
Filmfest.
Actually, way before “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” was completed,
people were already predicting that Nora was going to win best actress.
She did and --- fortunately --- she turned out to be worthy of her best actress
trophy.
The film for which she won the award --- as everyone expected --- wasn’t
worthless either.
Scripted by Ricardo lee, “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” casts Nora
Aunor as an aging nightclub entertainer who tries to raise her daughter
(Lotlot de Leon) all by herself.
To Nora’s relief, Lotlot turns out to be a bright and obedient daughter --- not
to mention level-headed.
Tragedy, however, strikes one evening when Lotlot becomes an innocent
victim in a street shootout right in front of their house.
Unable to stand the sight of her daughter suffering in silence at the intensive
care unit, Nora resorts to euthanasia by disconnecting the tube attached to
Lotlot’s respirator.
Her snooty mother-in-law, Armida Siguion Reyna, and the hospital staff,
however, thwart her plan and she is temporarily locked up in jail.
Although she is later set free, she eventually loses custody of her daughter.
In the last Metro Filmfest, “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” won best
picture not necessarily because it was pitted against lemons.
This Elwood Perez movie, in fact, is good enough to compete in the annual
derbies of the Urian, Star, FAP, FAMAS and the Catholic Mass Media Awards.
“Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” of course, is not flawless. Technically, for
instance, the film is far from perfect.
The material used in the movie is altogether a different matter.
While it is cleverly-written, the script loses focus in the way the story unfolds.
Clearly, the film is about a mother-daughter relationship.
Unfortunately, the film tries going beyond the main theme and ends up
tackling more than what it can hope to accomplish.
This is the reason why we see so many unresolved conflicts at the end of
the movie.
At the start, it tries to draw inspiration from the mother and daughter
relationship depicted in “Steel Magnolias.”
But Nora Aunor is no Sally Field and Lotlot de Leon certainly will never be
Julia Roberts.
Later --- in scenes taken at the intensive care unit --- we see the Maureen
Hultman case spelled out across the big screen.
The way we see it, the movie starts to lose focus because of its desire to
make it an acting showcase for Nora Aunor.
And so we see Nora engaged in a supposedly difficult acting challenge
where is shown half-crying and half-laughing during her reconciliation
scene with club owner Marissa Delgado.
This scene is actually part of the subplot on friendship which is regrettably
tackled in a half-baked manner in the entire film.
The attempt to showcase Nora’s acting range sometimes even boomerangs
on the actress because, well, there’s also a limit to her talent as performer.
Depicted as a carefree spirit. Nora is given scenes that require an amount of
kookiness that we often see in Bette Midler’s movies.
Sadly, it is part that can be carried out with justice only by somebody like
Mitch Valdes.
But minus the above-mentioned scenes, there is no doubt that Nora does a
wonderful acting job in “Pacita M.”
When she goes straight drama, she makes everyone teary-eyed inside the
cinema. When she cries out for the life of her daughter, every mother in the
moviehouse weeps with her.
Whatever minus points she has in her acting are easily offset by her bravura
performance toward the end of the movie.
“Pacita M.” may not have a solid unifying factor that binds together all the
subplots in the story. But each scene --- no matter how remote it is from the
main theme --- becomes interesting because Elwood Perez’ directorial style
is never boring.
Unlike last year’s “Andrea” which is socially-relevant but a bit too tedious to
plough through, “Pacita M.” is entertaining and fun.
Elwood Perez really does a great fix up job here in “Pacita M.” Thanks to his
remarkable directorial skills, he was able to turn what could have been an
otherwise pointless film with a problematic theme into an award-winning
picture.
Butch Franciso Philippine Star, 1992
ELWOOD PEREZ’S GREAT FIX-UP JOB
Nora Aunor is now the undisputed queen of the Metro Filmfest --- a feat that
will be quite difficult to duplicate.
In 1978, the festival committee decided to do away with the best actor,
actress, supporting actor, supporting actress categories and simplified the
whole process by naming just one acting winner who was called best
performer.
Nora Aunor topped that acting contest for her performance in “Atsay.”
The following year, Nora again figured prominently in the filmfest when she
shared the best actress award with Lolita Rodriguez who was her co-star in
“Ina Ka ng Anak Mo.”
In 1982, Nora was back in fighting form with her moving portrayal of a
visionary in “Himala” which won for her that year’s Metro Filmfest best
actress trophy.
Two years later, Nora --- in “Bulaklak sa City Jail” --- was adjudged best
actress for the fourth time by the filmfest’s board of judges.
Last year, Nora’s slackening career was given a shot in the arm with that
Metro Filmfest best actress trophy she won for “Andrea, Paano Ba ang
Maging Isang Ina?”
Last December, Nora did it again with her colorful performance in ang “Ang
Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.”
So far, Nora has in her collection six best actress trophies from the Metro
Filmfest.
Actually, way before “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” was completed,
people were already predicting that Nora was going to win best actress.
She did and --- fortunately --- she turned out to be worthy of her best actress
trophy.
The film for which she won the award --- as everyone expected --- wasn’t
worthless either.
Scripted by Ricardo lee, “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” casts Nora
Aunor as an aging nightclub entertainer who tries to raise her daughter
(Lotlot de Leon) all by herself.
To Nora’s relief, Lotlot turns out to be a bright and obedient daughter --- not
to mention level-headed.
Tragedy, however, strikes one evening when Lotlot becomes an innocent
victim in a street shootout right in front of their house.
Unable to stand the sight of her daughter suffering in silence at the intensive
care unit, Nora resorts to euthanasia by disconnecting the tube attached to
Lotlot’s respirator.
Her snooty mother-in-law, Armida Siguion Reyna, and the hospital staff,
however, thwart her plan and she is temporarily locked up in jail.
Although she is later set free, she eventually loses custody of her daughter.
In the last Metro Filmfest, “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” won best
picture not necessarily because it was pitted against lemons.
This Elwood Perez movie, in fact, is good enough to compete in the annual
derbies of the Urian, Star, FAP, FAMAS and the Catholic Mass Media Awards.
“Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” of course, is not flawless. Technically, for
instance, the film is far from perfect.
The material used in the movie is altogether a different matter.
While it is cleverly-written, the script loses focus in the way the story unfolds.
Clearly, the film is about a mother-daughter relationship.
Unfortunately, the film tries going beyond the main theme and ends up
tackling more than what it can hope to accomplish.
This is the reason why we see so many unresolved conflicts at the end of
the movie.
At the start, it tries to draw inspiration from the mother and daughter
relationship depicted in “Steel Magnolias.”
But Nora Aunor is no Sally Field and Lotlot de Leon certainly will never be
Julia Roberts.
Later --- in scenes taken at the intensive care unit --- we see the Maureen
Hultman case spelled out across the big screen.
The way we see it, the movie starts to lose focus because of its desire to
make it an acting showcase for Nora Aunor.
And so we see Nora engaged in a supposedly difficult acting challenge
where is shown half-crying and half-laughing during her reconciliation
scene with club owner Marissa Delgado.
This scene is actually part of the subplot on friendship which is regrettably
tackled in a half-baked manner in the entire film.
The attempt to showcase Nora’s acting range sometimes even boomerangs
on the actress because, well, there’s also a limit to her talent as performer.
Depicted as a carefree spirit. Nora is given scenes that require an amount of
kookiness that we often see in Bette Midler’s movies.
Sadly, it is part that can be carried out with justice only by somebody like
Mitch Valdes.
But minus the above-mentioned scenes, there is no doubt that Nora does a
wonderful acting job in “Pacita M.”
When she goes straight drama, she makes everyone teary-eyed inside the
cinema. When she cries out for the life of her daughter, every mother in the
moviehouse weeps with her.
Whatever minus points she has in her acting are easily offset by her bravura
performance toward the end of the movie.
“Pacita M.” may not have a solid unifying factor that binds together all the
subplots in the story. But each scene --- no matter how remote it is from the
main theme --- becomes interesting because Elwood Perez’ directorial style
is never boring.
Unlike last year’s “Andrea” which is socially-relevant but a bit too tedious to
plough through, “Pacita M.” is entertaining and fun.
Elwood Perez really does a great fix up job here in “Pacita M.” Thanks to his
remarkable directorial skills, he was able to turn what could have been an
otherwise pointless film with a problematic theme into an award-winning
picture.