I watched Saving Cherry during its advance screening at Uptown Cinema last Thursday, August 27. But I have to admit that I was extremely tired when I first watched it. So, when I got the chance to see it again during its premiere night, I was looking forward to watching it with a much fresher mind.
I’m glad I did. If there’s one thing Saving Cherry proves, it’s the range of Barbie Forteza as an actress.
Barbie has this natural ability to make you laugh. Her comedic timing feels effortless, which is especially important for a film like this because so much of its humor comes from the absurd situations Cherry finds herself in.
But what really stood out to me was how she handles the emotional scenes.
I actually shed tears during the first part of the movie, and I found myself at it again on my second viewing. There’s something about Barbie’s expression when her character is about to cry (or is already crying) that makes you feel like crying with her. She knows how to make you feel Cherry’s hurt without having to overplay it.
Barbie is certainly one of the best actresses of her generation, and Saving Cherry gives her another opportunity to show just how wide her range can be. The role allows her to be funny, vulnerable, angry, reckless, emotional and, ultimately, human. It is a very different Barbie from some of the roles we have seen her play before, and she completely owns it.
The film is marketed primarily as a comedy, and yes, there are plenty of scenes that will make you laugh. But I was pleasantly surprised by how emotional Saving Cherry could be.
There were moments when the comedy suddenly gave way to something much more vulnerable. I obviously can’t say which scenes without giving away too much, but there is definitely more to this movie than the laughs.
The story doesn’t immediately reveal exactly where it is going.
As I watched Cherry’s journey, there were moments when I found myself wondering what kind of ending would actually make sense for her. And when the film finally got there, I thought it justified where it landed.
And then there’s that final scene. It’s crazy. It’s unexpected. But at the same time, it’s powerful enough to make you stop and think about everything that happened before it.
Without spoiling anything, I think the ending works because Saving Cherry isn’t simply asking whether Cherry will get what she wants. It makes you think about what she actually needs.
And that’s where I think the film becomes more interesting than its premise initially suggests.
There are conversations here about marriage, cheating, self-love, friendship and the non-negotiables we should have in relationships. I may have my own opinions about some of the issues and choices presented in the film, but I still appreciate that the movie gives audiences something to discuss.
For me, that’s one of the signs of a good movie.
A good movie doesn’t necessarily have to tell you exactly what to think. Sometimes, it should allow you to sit with different perspectives, question certain choices and even disagree with some of them.
Saving Cherry offered not just comedy and drama but also heart.
And speaking of heart, the barkada is the cherry on top.
Mikee Quintos, AC Bonifacio, Sassa Gurl and Mika Salamanca bring a different flavor to Cherry’s group of friends, and their chemistry feels natural. You can actually believe that these characters are friends.
Mikee is subtle but very effective, particularly with the delivery of her punchlines. She doesn’t have to do too much to make a scene funny.
Sassa Gurl, who already has a strong comedic personality, gives the barkada a completely different flavor. Her presence adds another layer of humor to the group.
AC Bonifacio plays a character who can be annoying at times, but somehow, she still manages to make her cute, funny and endearing.
And then there’s Mika Salamanca.
For me, Mika is one of the biggest revelations of the movie.
She surprised me with her acting performance, particularly because she showed that comedy could very well be her genre. She knows how to deliver the material, and she makes the most out of the scenes given to her.
The chemistry works because they don’t feel like five performers simply waiting for their turn to deliver a punchline. They feel like friends.
And that’s important because at the heart of Saving Cherry is the value of friendship, especially the kind of friendship that stays with you when you’re at your most irrational, emotional and vulnerable.
I have to premise thought, that Saving Cherry has a targeted audience for its humor and there are certain sensibilities you have to watch out for if you are conservative.
Then there’s Khalil Ramos.
After watching the movie again, I was able to appreciate even more just how effective an actor he is.
Khalil plays a character you’re supposed to hate, and believe me, there are moments when you will hate him.
But what I appreciated about his performance is that he doesn’t turn the character into a one-dimensional villain. He gives him enough humanity that, despite his actions, you eventually understand where some of his behavior comes from.
You can hate what he does and still understand the human being behind those choices. That is not easy to pull off.
And of course, there’s also the chemistry between Khalil and Barbie.
I wasn’t expecting it, but it works. There’s a particular kilig moment between the two that stayed with me, but I’ll leave it at that because this is a spoiler-free review. What I will say is that I wouldn’t mind seeing Barbie and Khalil work together again, whether in another rom-com or something much more dramatic.
There’s something there between them as onscreen partners.
Joey Marquez, meanwhile, delivers what we’ve come to expect from a veteran actor — reliability.
He knows exactly what to do with his scenes, and once again, he shows why actors like him are such valuable additions to a movie. His presence gives the film another layer of experience and credibility.
I was also pleasantly surprised by Monina Lawrence, who plays the third party.
She is effective at being annoying which, considering the character she’s playing, is actually a compliment. She has the pretty face, but she also backs it up with an acting performance that makes you remember her.
Than Perez and Lara Fortuna, both fresh faces, also deserve mention.
One thing that can sometimes make me cringe in movies is when new actors are introduced but aren’t quite ready for the screen yet. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here. Both were natural enough in their performances and were able to maximize the screen time they were given.
They made the most out of their scenes instead of simply being there.
And that contributes to what I think is one of Saving Cherry’s biggest strengths — the cast works together.
Nobody feels completely out of place. Nobody feels like they’re just there to fill a role. The comedy works because the actors commit to the situations, but the emotional scenes work because they also know when to pull back.
To end, Saving Cherry is exactly the kind of movie that can surprise you if you go in expecting nothing more than comedy.
Yes, it’s funny. But it also has drama. It has heart. It has moments that will make you reflect on relationships and the choices we make when we’re hurt.
And perhaps most importantly, it reminds us of the value of friendship. Sometimes, the people who know us best are also the people who will stand beside us when we’re making questionable decisions. They may laugh with us, enable us a little, call us out when necessary, and eventually remind us who we are.
That’s what makes Cherry’s barkada such an important part of the movie.
Catch Saving Cherry in cinemas nationwide. Now showing. 🍒
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