When Family of Two starts, we get introduced to the OG son and mother- Maty and Marica. No day passes by where their love isn't seen and it gets a bit hard to watch them at some moments as every mother-child has their conflicts and not every relationship is a bed of roses. Their love for each other has no limits and Marica treats her son like a child. The film's opening scene is about Maty explaining to his mother that a toilet seat should also be covered before flushing (a weird opening scene).
Maty likes Zari and they're both coworkers. It takes him time to confess his feelings and get into “exclusive dating” with her. They get close while making a project proposal together.
Though the last thirty minutes of this 100-minute-long film truly pay tribute to the bond shared between a mother and her child, I loved how beautiful the ending is. The initial minutes were a bit confusing as the movie was hovering around its plot and some scenes did appear to be overdone. The bond Mati and his mother share is like a warm hug on an unpleasant day.
In the film, it's shown how Maty goes to Singapore with his girlfriend and before taking this big step, he asks his mother to get onto dating applications. She felt like she was being put on the market when in reality he wanted her not to feel alone when he was gone. Whenever Marica went on dates, Maty accompanied her for safety purposes. He can't trust any man around his mother as thoughts like someone might intoxicate her and cause her advantage to haunt him.
One thing the movie lacked was the chemistry between Zari and Maty. The point where the couple shares their affection towards each other lacks romance. They get into a relationship without any scenes building up the love thus making the audience feel like a part has been skipped from the script.
The actors playing Marica (mom) and Maty (son) have done a good job. There are many cheesy scenes too which I preferred to skip as the love they shared has been exaggerated. Marica, being a single mom with just Maty in her life, made her too dependent on him. She makes him lunch for the office and also pens down sweet notes with it.
When Maty left for Singapore, the audience would've thought that she'd drown in her sorrow yet the lady emerged out to be a winner. She didn't know at first what she'd do, but her interest in studies made her go to a college and pursue her master's in business. Apart from that Marica also learns how to drive a car. The void Maty left after going to Singapore couldn't be filled. Marica is an example to all the women out there and teaches them that it's never too late.
If the audience is searching for a similar movie, they can watch a Bollywood film English Vinglish in which superstar Sridevi starred. These films have one thing in common: the female protagonist’s zeal to learn new things and stand on their own two feet. In my opinion, this Filipino film is a good watch and it takes its time to set the pace.
Final Score – [7/10]
Reviewed by - Riya Singh
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Publisher at Midgard Times