Saving Cherry is a comedy film, yes, but what makes the humor land so well is how unapologetically it holds up a mirror to our own messy lives. It makes fun of our worst tendencies while telling the honest truth about the crazy things we do for love—and the people we accidentally push away when we’re either blinded by romance or wallowing in heartbreak.
At its heart, the movie hits you with the real value of friendship. It shines a light on those ride-or-die friends who will somehow support your absolute worst decisions, but still care enough to step in and put on the brakes when you’ve gone too far.
Barbie Forteza has always been a powerhouse whether she’s doing heavy drama or full-on comedy, but she still manages to surprise you here with just how massive her acting range actually is. She takes a role that could easily turn into over-the-top caricature and keeps it completely grounded. One minute she’s nailing fast-paced comedic timing that has you cracking up, and the next, she’s pulling you right into a moment of raw, vulnerable heartbreak. She holds the entire film together effortlessly, making sure you’re genuinely rooted in her journey no matter how crazy the situation gets.
The film is a wild, chaotic barkada ride from start to finish, but what keeps you glued to the screen is how genuinely heartfelt and empowering the story turns out to be. A huge part of that charm comes from the dynamic between Barbie, Mika Salamanca, AC Bonifacio, Mikee Quintos, and Sassa Gurl. Their chemistry feels so ridiculously organic that half the time, you’ll swear their best lines weren’t even in the script. They just feel like a real group of close friends bouncing off each other, and that raw energy makes the whole movie infectious.
It’s also refreshing that the men in the film aren’t just turned into villains just to make a point. Khalil Ramos, Kokoy de Santos, and Joey Marquez give performances that make Cherry feel much more human. They help show that all the chaos unfolding on screen isn’t just random foolishness—it’s the direct result of love, or the deep hurt that comes from a lack of it.
I do wish the pacing moved a bit snappier in places to keep up with the movie’s high-octane energy, especially the comedic scenes. A few scenes in the middle tend to linger just a little longer than necessary, briefly slowing down the narrative momentum when you just want to get back to the chaos. But despite those minor lulls, the film recovers quickly.
Saving Cherry is a movie that knows how to have crazy, unhinged fun, but it never forgets to show the real, messy consequences that come with it. It balances the madness with just enough heart to make the journey land, making it easily worth your time and money.
3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
‘Saving Cherry’ opens in cinemas September 2, 2026 from Regal Entertainment, Inc. Rated R-13 by the MTRCB.