TEN LITTLE MISTRESSES (2023) Review
Directed by Jun Robles Lana
As the film opens, you’ll know you’re in for a good ride. Jun Robles Lana’s fabulous murder mystery is fun and campy. From its production and stars, you can expect nothing less. But having that many stellar cast kind of affect the focus on the film viewing and the opportunity to flesh out its characters more.
But it’s a Jun Lana film, there’s more to it than what we see on the surface.
Ten women fighting over one man in a society that still looks at women less than men. From looking good physically whether clothing or looking young through surgery to giving women gifts for them to praise men, it might not be convenient to read, but that’s why Lana presents these issues through comedy.
It’s a big film, one that deserves to be seen on the big screen. But having it on a streaming platform may be a wise decision for more people to have access to it.
I’m a bit sad though that these themes and the talents of its cast isn’t used to their full potential. Imagine having Eugene Domingo, Pokwang, Carmi Martin, Agot Isidro, Sharlene San Pedro, Kris Bernal, Christian Bables, Iana Bernardez, Adrianna So and Arci Munoz in one film. Balancing these names in one movie is hard and it shows in the film. The characters felt like they’re thinly written at times. They’ve shown their characters’ purposes but there comes a time when they are actually forgettable.
But the murder mystery part is fun and ingenious. This isn’t something we see on Philippine media and it shows how intricate and well-thought-out the maze of finding the murderer is. Maybe it could better work as a series? I don’t know. But there’s a lot in here that isn’t noticed that much and there’s also a lot in the film that isn’t fleshed out for a better and deeper experience I hoped it would be.
3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
‘Ten Little Mistresses’ starts streaming on Prime Video on February 15, 2023.