Misplacing its calendar, Easter Sunday came out on August 5 to the delight of Filipinos, Jesus-the-Procrastinator, and former fanboys desperately wondering what happened to Tia Carrere. I’m not sure why Easter Sunday couldn’t have come out to coincide with Easter Sunday. Were you guys worried it would be swallowed up in our collected rush to see Father Stu? But movies are often places where logic goes to die, so this day in August we’re left with the story of a stand-up stand-up and his fight to save career and family alike on a day of human-sized bunnies and egg hunts, neither of which is mentioned in the film.
It is hard to tell exactly how well-to-do Joe Valencia (Jo Koy) is; the stand-up comedian seems to be living off a beer commercial which I wouldn’t guess would take you very far … but he doesn’t seem to have any problem housing, clothing, feeding, or supporting his family as a single father. Admittedly, however, life would probably be much easier if he lands the part as the crazy Filipino uncle in a new sitcom (for which he is the front-runner). He misses a school function in support of his teen son, Joe Jr. (Brandon Wardell), to catch the audition. Decisions , decisions.
Joe’s warring mother and aunt have both invited him to Easter functions half a state away – unfortunately, that state being California, the long way —and Joe is expected to go because … Filipino. He’s even expected to make morning church services at his destination which is insane considering he started the morning in Hollywood and needs to end up in the Bay Area. I’m sorry; that simply cannot be done in complete daylight unless it’s summer and California has migrated to the Arctic Circle.
When he gets to the gathering, Joe is not only expected to support his teenage son, but also mend the fence between his mom (Lydia Gaston) and aunt (Carrere), and also solve the problems of his idiot cousin Eugene (Eugene Cordero) who has … made many poor choices, one of which might get him killed.
And the whole time, I’m thinking, “I saw this film already.” It was called The Fabulous Filipino Brothers, and set in the North Bay instead of the West Bay (also, it didn’t have the bluster of
cameos by Tiffany Haddish and Lou Diamond Phillips), but it was essentially the same film – crazy Filipino family has to put idiocy aside to come together for a day of celebration.
So I’ve seen two Filipino-American films in the past year and both NEEDED to tell me how into family the culture is. I make no bones about this being a potentially successful model – Disney has built an entire empire on family-ness, but I’m guessing the Filipino Oscars is the most boring award ceremony of all time: “… and now the award for ‘Most Supportive Uncle in a Gathering of Fewer than 50 People’…”
Eater Sunday is classic “meh.” It’s heart is in the right place, so I’m reluctant to deliver full-throttle venom, but I can’t see anybody too excited for this film, even Filipinos. We know pretty much what’s gonna happen from the outset. The details occasionally deliver mild amusement, nothing more. I never heard Jo Koy’s stand-up before; I can’t say I’ll seek it out again. I got the biggest kick out of recognizing ex-poster girl Tia Carrere and director/sleazy agent Jay Chandrasekhar. Is Broken Lizard still a thing? Is recognition of actors from films I liked more and long ago enough to recommend a film? God, er, Jesus, I hope not.
For Carrere, her life has unfurled
With a career all gnarly and burled
But the siren is back
With Filipino smack
*sigh* Never thought I’d miss Wayne’s World
Rated PG-13, 96 Minutes
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Writer: Kate Angelo, Ken Cheng
Genre: Didn’t I see this ten months ago?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Family nuts
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: People who bet against Manny Pacquiao
