PAN DE SALAWAL (2018) Review
Directed by Che Espiritu
What is your favorite holiday movie? Mine’s Home Alone. It’s those simple joys of being with your family or finding the meaning of having a family. But what’s the connection with Che Espiritu’s Pan de Salawal? I felt that same warmth when I watched it not only once.
Pan de Salawal isn’t a holiday movie. It’s not during Christmastime, and it doesn’t even talk about Christmas. But it’s the kind of film that heals souls or at least that’s how it felt after watching it twice. Sounds ridiculous, right? But it’s just pure, its intentions are uplifting and the story is warm and charming.
Bodjie Pascua and Miel Espinoza’s chemistry was divine. I mean, while there’s really nothing groundbreaking about its story, the relationship of two strangers: an old man and a kid, they provided the audience with something genuine that transcends the screen.
It is a journey of two people, and the audience can see and feel the development of the two characters from being strangers to being something you can call family.
It was a magical experience, watching Pan de Salawal. If there’s a film I would recommend for the whole family to watch, it will be this.
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
