MMFF Moviethon Day 8: Continuity Problems
Summary: Spot-on depiction of stupid rich girls.
Rating: Incomplete. According to reports, director Andoy Ranay was not allowed to finish the movie—and it shows. Voice-over summation, anyone?
This is the story we heard from industry wags. Andoy comes to the shoot one day, and one of the actresses says, “Happy Last Day, Direk!”
“Hindi pa last day, we have some more shooting days left.”
Then someone else goes, “Happy Last Day, Direk!”
“Anong pinagsasabi ninyo?”
So Andoy finds the producer, and the producer says, “Direk, sorry…”
Recommendation: Fun to watch with actual sosyaleras.
Read our review at InterAksyon.com.
WE’RE FINISHED! We’re freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
January 9th, 2013 at 13:34
Why didn’t they allow the director to complete filming? I can’t imagine that they were running significantly over budget anyway.
January 9th, 2013 at 14:52
In hindsight, I’ve decided that I found “Sosy Problems” way funnier than “Sisterakas.”
The thing with “Sisterakas,” while Vice and Ai-Ai were funny (Kris who?), is that – as my friend put it – it is like one big comedy bar. It largely relied on one-liner hirits and in-jokes (James “Yup,” anyone?) that don’t really serve the main plot. Other than those hirits, most of the other jokes fall flat.
I didn’t know what to make of “Sosy Problems” when I saw it, and I think that really may be because it is unfortunately obviously incomplete. Maybe if the Andoy Ranay had been given more time as he wanted, it might have been better – but that’s an “if” and we’ll never know (not unless they release a director’s cut DVD, which I highly doubt).
Still, when the four leading ladies were together acting all coño, it was hilarious. Yes, you are right, it’s a pretty accurate depiction (heck, I know some of them in real life!), and there’s a sense of self-aware parody that “Sisterakas” just does not have.
The supporting performers were even better: Mylene Dizon, Maritoni Fernandez, Agot Isidro, and Cherie Gil were all hysterical. (Tim Yap – ermmm never mind, and Ruffa Gutierrez was bad as usual, but at least amusingly bad and not annoyingly bad the way Kris was in “Sisterakas”). Mylene most especially – her scene with Ruffa and Ruffa’s office table just killed it.
This is also where the movie falters: the supporting performers were leagues above the main characters in acting and comedic ability, so when any of them are in the scene together, the leading ladies get swallowed up.
I will repeat my previous complaint as to how Wilma Doesnt won her best supporting actress when we had Mylene, Maritoni, Agot, and Cherie in this movie as well as Cherie Pie Picache and Janice De Belen in other movies.
If “Sisterakas” relied on unrelated “hirits” to be funny, “Sosy Problems” relied on more situational hilarity and social commentary that tied directly to the plot. That’s where its strength lies, so it is unfortunate that Ranay did not get to finish the movie as he wanted to.
The other falter area of “Sosy Problems” is when the four leading ladies are off on their own subplots; they were hilarious when they played off each other but tended to… shine less individually, especially if they’re with supporting members better than they are, talentwise (as I noted above).
Add to this that said subplots had hints of being “serious” – when the movie tried to be serious, it faltered further. They needed to keep the insane, hyperreal comedy instead of inserting too much “moral lesson of the day” and “side drama.” If they kept to the same shallow, self-aware parodying tone (with the social commentary present but not in-your-face) throughout, it would’ve been significantly better.
Still, I’ve concluded that I prefer it over “Sisterakas,” which – while funny (at least Vice and Ai-Ai) – is yet another formula comedy, while “Sosy Problems” at least attempts something different, has better supporting comedic talent, and actually tries to tell a better story.
January 9th, 2013 at 21:40
Akyat-Bahay Gangster: I think it had to do with MMFF deadlines. I could be wrong.
January 9th, 2013 at 22:22
We hear the stars had scheduling problems. (If you sign on to do a movie, shouldn’t you make the time for it?)
January 10th, 2013 at 02:01
Perfect sense! Sosy problems with a sosy attitude to bout! PINOY NGA!
January 10th, 2013 at 07:22
Not to sound mean, but these four leading ladies are hardly “star enough” to have scheduling problems. Hee.
Do they even have many projects? I think only Solenn has had more or less continuous work (even if she’s not as – comparatively – popular as Heart or Rhian).