My Monster Mom: Monster-rific!

Last July 29, Annabelle Rama officially made her movie comeback via GMA Films’ “My Monster Mom" during its grand premiere at SM Megamall. For everyone who has ever doubted the power of this vivacious Bisaya, this flick proves that neither age nor lack of practice can tarnish her spunk. Esme’s “bebi gel" In the story, young Cebuana Esmeralda “Esme" Fajardo (Rhian Ramos) goes to Manila to study, only to fall in love with Waldo, a beguiling gentleman played by Richard Gutierrez. Her secret starsrendezvous with him lead to her getting pregnant and eventually stopping school. Left with no choice, she lives with him only to find out that he is seeing another woman behind her back. After a violent confrontation, she flees and resorts to odd jobs to finance her survival, especially in her delicate condition. She soon gives birth to a beautiful baby girl whom she names Abigail. Unfortunately, life is so hard that she has to give her child to some relatives who are migrating abroad, in the hopes that someday, she’ll be reunited with her baby girl when life is better. Twenty-seven years later, her wish comes true. Abigail (Ruffa Gutierrez) returns to the Philippines as a liberal New Yorker, and Esme, who now has two sons (JC De Vera and Mart Escudero) from different lovers, must help her daughter adjust to her new family. But how can Abigail learn to adjust to her biological mom’s impossibly annoying ways? Esme and Abigail’s journey to acceptance, especially their misadventures in between, is what makes Monster Mom a must-see. Watch out for these scenes! Monster Mom is made up of crazy-funny scenes and dialogues that stay with you even after the closing credits. Here are some of them: 1) When one of Esme’s relatives who adopts Abigail comes home from abroad to report that Esme’s kuya Toto is dead (Abigail’s adoptive father), she explains that Toto died during a trip to Disneyland. Esme’s reply? “Bakit? Pinatay ni Mickey Mouse?" 2) When Esme is explaining to her pals (Eugene Domingo and Khryss Adalla) that her long-lost daughter is coming home, they ask about Abigail’s reaction to the news that her biological mom is in the Philippines. Esme replies in Ruffa’s signature voice, “Ang sabi raw niya, ‘Oh yeah?’" 3) While Esme lectures Abigail on the value of her virginity, she explains, “Ang kotse, pag second hand na, mababa ang resale value." 4) Watch out for Esme’s garden—it’s sarcastically and undeniably Pinoy, with the seven dwarfs, the Ten Commandments, and even a Snow White sculpture! One of the funniest scenes is when Esme’s neighbor accidentally destroys her Snow White display—the scene that ensues is pure Annabelle Rama! 5) And of course, there are the cameo appearances of Richard Gutierrez and Eddie Gutierrez. The real-life family is reunited onscreen, although you won’t see them all together in one scene. It’s just curious how it must’ve felt like for Ruffa to be acting alongside her real father and mother, especially in dramatic sequences. “Sana mag-enjoy kayo at [magustuhan] niyo acting ko!" Annabelle Rama said during the grand premiere as she welcomed everyone in SM Megamall Cinema 9. True enough, we did enjoy. Though most of the scenes didn’t involve intricate acting, Annabelle delivered what her role required of her, and no one could have done it as monster-rifictly as she did. - iGMA.tv