“CALL ME MOTHER” is a touching and hilarious, but more so emotional, film that answers the question of what it truly means to be a mother.
Labeled as a comedy, the movie is directed by Jun Lana, a Thomasian filmmaker who has won multiple awards for his film work, and stars Vice Ganda, one of the country’s most influential queer icons; Nadine Lustre, a charming, award-winning actress; and Lucas Andalio. The tension and chemistry between the two leads, as well as with Andalio, stand out throughout the film.
Vice Ganda stars as Twinkle Reyes, a former pageant coach who gains custody of a child. The child, Angelo, drives Twinkle to sacrifice everything for him—career, priceless memorabilia from past successes. Ten years later, Twinkle receives an offer to go abroad, a lifelong dream. Yet the first thing that comes to mind is Angelo.
To take Angelo overseas, Twinkle must secure an adoption signature from Mara, played by Nadine Lustre—a former student of Twinkle and Angelo’s biological mother. Fearing that Angelo might choose Mara over her, Twinkle becomes overprotective, straining their relationship. Meanwhile, Mara persists in building a bond with her son, despite Twinkle’s resistance.
Moviegoers spend half of the film’s two-hour runtime laughing and the other half in tears. The comedy from Vice Ganda is expected; however, as the film progresses, Twinkle draws an emotional depth that brings viewers to tears. The theater, minutes after erupting in laughter, fills with quiet sobs.
One subplot—the challenges of having queer parents—deserves more attention than the film allows. While there are scenes showing prejudice against Twinkle, such as teasing from Angelo’s classmates and questioning glances from other parents, these moments are not fully explored. The film acknowledges these struggles but ultimately prioritizes what it does best: its central theme of a mother’s sacrifice and love for a child.
“Call Me Mother” poses difficult questions: Is there a price to pay for becoming a mother? Must one sacrifice personal dreams for a child? Mara’s character, initially unprepared for motherhood, chooses ambition over raising Angelo—echoing the film’s recurring theme that “every crown demands a sacrifice.”
But what makes a mother is not blood, gender, or legal documents. A mother is someone who, as the film puts it, “expresses radical, selfless love enough to raise and empower another human being, ready to sacrifice a piece of yourself.” Inah Denise A. Manansala
