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A Perfectly Imperfect Family: Film Review on Seven Sundays

A PERFECTLY IMPERFECT FAMILY FILM REVIEW ON SEVEN SUNDAYS

By Meanne M. Mijares

SEVEN SUNDAYS

Starring Ronaldo Valdez (Manuel Bonifacio), Enrique Gil (Dex), Cristine Reyes (Cha), Dingdong Dantes (Bryan) and Aga Muhlach (Allan)

Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina

Produced by Star Cinema

I am fond of good and heartwarming stories about family-whether in book form, theatrical adaptations, musicals and films. One of my favorite past times is watching quality films and Seven Sundays is certainly one of them for it delves deeper connections that are opulently gratifying and fulfilling. I was excited because the movie trailer immediately got my attention with the all-star grouping of actors with fine histrionic chops that were gathered for this film project. No actor upstages his fellow actors in here, they had their own defining and shining moments in the film. Now that I have already seen the movie, I am giving full positive credit to the director and scriptwriter for this exceptional, intensely motivated masterpiece forming results that really made this film even more unique than it already was on a fat gray matter.

Since we Filipinos are family oriented, the story tugs right at the heart strings because it is about love in the family. It is about Manuel, a father who is dying of lung cancer and asks his four children to spend seven Sundays with him before passing on. The four Bonifacio siblings Allan, Bryan, Cha and Dex with families of their own and leading and living their own lives, come together to spend seven Sundays with their beloved patriarch and tried their best to set aside their issues and differences with each other.

But as the story went along, they were able to patch things up for real as they help support one another’s problems most especially when the father bridges the gap between Allan and Bryan to save the family store from financial breakdown and restore to the grandeur that it was to keep the legacy alive and relevant to the times. What the head of family said struck me: “Gusto kong nagtutulungan kayong magkakapatid.”

The exchange of dialogue in every scene was filled with true to life emotionally charged statements and sentiments interwoven through the various stories (or subplots) of the film’s lead protagonists.

This one said by Allan in one scene with his eldest son, Marc is my favorite:

Allan: “Kung naging mabuting kuya ako sa mga kapatid ko, hindi sana ito nangyayari.”

Marc: “Pero Dad, hindi pa naman huli para makabawi kayo sa kanila, diba?”

Allan: “Oo naman.”

We all have families, which is why the story connects and resonates very well with the movie goers. It is rich in experiences that the major characters went through and able to resolve them that somewhat inspires people that no one is alone or left behind because they have a family to back them up. In a world that is complex and broken, you have no one but God through your family. That is why God created families. He is a part of a Family, the Holy Trinity the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary with her spouse Saint Joseph.

The family has such power because it is bonded by love, and this is why the family accepts and forgives many times and stands through the test of time. It just came to me that maybe the film’s title is Seven Sundays, reminds me of the Lord’s answer to Saint Peter’s question on how to forgive, which is, seventy times seven times. Without it, there would be no healing. The family may be tried and tested in rough and turbulent waters but will remain strong and united as they face it together head on, game on.

Since members of the family have different quirks and personalities, it still manages to reach out to one another to co-exist peacefully and harmoniously despite being imperfect but that is what makes families special because those imperfections and frivolities are the ones that endear themselves to one another, to help, empower, respect and support each other. Sometimes we need to disconnect in order to reconnect and rebuild family ties and come out stronger because of it. The film proves this saying: Ang magkapatid, magaway at magkagalit man magkakabati at magkakampi pa rin sa bandang huli . No one can ever take that away!

The films aptly states that love is spelled as T-I-M-E. Quality time well spent with one another! One of the scenes I find very touching is that when they all headed to the beach and read letters addressed to the patriarch, those that he had not read because he was away from them at the time all tucked inside a large biscuit tin can. I like this scene a lot because it is a bonding activity that is worth doing to forge stronger family ties and connections that are gratifying. I like the balance of the use of social media here as well. Not all too far or too near.

We need not wait for a tragedy or death to happen to be united through force or love or get our act together. The best time is always N-O-W! This film will make you go hug and kiss your loved ones and say I love you to them in our own special way, every day.

What I like about this film is the “ bali ” to it. Typical of a Filipino film, I suppose. It shows that we are a happy and resilient people. Its final scene at the ABCD’s Family Store, sees a complete chunky unwieldy dance showdown between the Bonifacio family and Mr. Kim with his cohorts, made me felt uneasy and uncomfortable given the intensity of drama prior to it but I presume it is there to end the story on a positive note.

Quoting the patriarch in the film, I rate it as ALL GOOD!

November 22, 2017

November 23, 2017, related articles, pang araw-araw.

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REVIEW: Seven Sundays features strong performances from its lead actors

Star Cinema's family drama Seven Sundays is hardly original in subject matter and treatment, but it is bound to resonate with moviegoers.

Anybody who has suffered estrangement from family will find himself drawn to this movie directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina.

Aging barangay captain Manuel Bonifacio (Ronaldo Valdez) is told on his birthday that he is suffering from lung cancer and has only seven weeks to live, prompting his four adult children to make room in their busy lives so their father can spend his remaining Sundays with them.

In these supposed last weeks of togetherness, the family members awkwardly and painstakingly try to create a semblance of normalcy, but unresolved issues and hidden trouble threaten to shatter their already fragile dynamics. Enrique Gil, Cristine Reyes, Dingdong Dantes, and Aga Muhlach bring life to the Bonifacio siblings who try to reconnect with each other amidst this family crisis.

THE GOOD. As with most family dramas, Seven Sundays centers on a dysfunctional family, which makes the plot all too predictable.

In an effort to perhaps differentiate itself, the story unfolds in a way that tugs at ones’ heartstrings.

It succeeds, thanks largely to the fantastic acting and the script’s reflection of universal family issues as well as those that are unique to Filipino families such as parental absence due to overseas work.

Star Cinema assembled a powerhouse cast that meshes so well, it feels like a real model for a not-so-normal family.

Ronaldo Valdez plays Manuel with substance, befitting a father trying to assert his authority while attempting to get his estranged children to spend more time with him in his twilight years. Even when it all blows up in his face, he keeps a delicate balance between parental pride and regret.

Matching him in terms of screen presence are Aga Muhlach as Allan, the eldest of his children, and Dingdong Dantes as Brian, the more successful second child. Aga has finally surrendered to roles that capitalize more on his acting ability rather than good looks, disappearing behind the character of a middle-aged father struggling to provide for his family while secretly jealous of his younger brother’s success.

Dingdong delivers an earnest performance as a well-meaning but under-appreciated family member struggling to prove his worth to his family.

Cristine Reyes, meanwhile, sheds her sexy image for her role as middle child Cha, who hides her personal troubles for fear of rebuke.

Enrique Gil, as the younger son Dex, is adorable as he feigns indifference, touching the hearts of moviegoers with his fragility. This film features strong performances from the cast members, but they can only do so much when the story falls into the trap of conventional dramas.

THE BAD. Seven Sundays falters because of the perpetual need to wrap things up cleanly and amicably in an effort to reinforce moral values or provide an emotional cleansing for the audience.

However, doing so leaves the film with a clumsy ending, undoing the skillful unfurling of its dramatic sequences.

There is a dance showdown in the end, which is hilarious but is farcical at its best and is entirely unnecessary. THE WORTHY. Still, the film gets a breath of fresh air from its male leads, who throw more drama than the women.

For a change, men here are portrayed as sensitive family members, unlike your typical indifferent brother or son more often seen in other family drama films.

See Seven Sundays with your siblings if you dare—you just might find yourself in the shoes of one if its characters. Seven Sundays is graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board.

Ed's Note: The "PEP Review" section carries the views of individual reviewers, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the PEP editorial team.

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MOVIE REVIEW: “Seven Sundays” hits right in the heart

Star Cinema’s “Seven Sundays” revolves around the story of Bonifacio family, whose patriarch, Manuel, (Ronaldo Valdez) is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Seeing the family he built with his now deceased-wife, falling apart, Manuel has only one dying wish: see his four children together again and reconnected, happy and looking for each other, like when they were still kids.

But time and distance have taken a great toll on his children’s relationships which have been mostly strained by insecurities and pride among them.

His eldest, Allan (Aga Mulach), is a struggling father trying to make ends meet for his own family. Bryan (Dingdong Dantes), the middle child, who in spite of being the most successful, harbors bitterness towards Allan, whom he thinks has remained his father’s favorite. Cha (Cristine Reyes), now a mother of three, tries to hide her malfunctioning marriage, and Dexter (Enrique Gil), the youngest, keeps himself distant from the family he thinks abandoned him.

They are forced to reconcile under the same roof, and as they try to grant their dying father’s wish, a recollection of their history and some assessment of where they are and have gone as a family, are inevitably ensued.

Almost expectedly, “Seven Sundays” runs through a structure that is not foreign to its genre. It is predictable, unimaginative, and gets in its dramatic and comedic moments overly sensationalized. This flaw barely undermines the narrative’s overall entertainment value but it somehow deprives the film the knack to arrive to a sensible resolution.

The film exaggerates both the emotionally heavy and funny proceedings of its script to solicit tears and chuckles, which to be fair, are mostly earned, but sometimes fall in the wrong places. It then creates an over-sized heft, which may not be necessary, but thoroughly effective in delivering the motives of the film.

At some point, gentle moments get overshadowed by big climactic sequences, but this is fine as they propel the narrative to getting all its ample sentiments across. Admirably, emotional segments of the film are almost equally distributed to its five leads, each one given enough moment to make their characters shine.

But Dingdong Dantes has arguably emerged as the strongest performer. There is a powerful exchange of accusations and revelation of insecurities among the siblings, where Bryan bares his bitter struggle to prove himself and his worth in the family. Throughout this utterly compelling conflict, Dantes surfaces with a dignified maneuver of his character, handling its emotional complexity with ease and eloquence–its result result, no less than a moving performance.

Enrique Gil’s Dexter has practically the same baggage. He struggles to connect to the members of his family whom he feels left him when he was in need of someone to guide him through growing up. As anticipated, every member of the family has to survive the pains of growing up, but it is growing apart that proves to be more damaging to the Bonifacio family, and it is more evident in Dexter. Gil provides a commanding delivery of his character that is deeply bruised by his parent-less childhood.

Aga Mulach and Cristine Reyes also shine in their respective scenes. Muhlach still illustrates brilliance in his dramatic exchanges with Dantes, and owns some of the most heartwarming family moments in the film, most strikingly the ones with his son. Cha as the family’s “only princess”, is evidently the most fragile. Cristine carries out her character with a palpable commitment to what it demands, and comes out capable getting all her relatable sentiments across.

But then, all these characters radiate around Manuel, played by Ronaldo Valdez ,who has singularly maintained his dramatic genius throughout the film. Valdez shares the biggest chunk of the comic effort of the film, but he shines best during those scary moments when he begins to understand what looms in his family’s horizon. His struggle as a father trying to keep the foundations of his already rattled family makes his character accessible, hence it emerges as the most relatable element of the film.

For what it’s worth, while “Seven Sundays” struggles to abandon the conventions of its genre, this Cathy Garcia-Molina-helmed family drama turns out to be actually memorable. Its utter earnestness to relate a familiar story moves the film to levels that is bracing enough to capture audience and tug at their heartstrings. With its poignant sentiments about family, it hits right in the heart, and for that, “Seven Sundays” is exceptional.

RATING: 4/5

5 – Excellent 4 – Very Good 3 – Good 2 – Tolerable 1 – Terrible

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‘Seven Sundays’: Five-year hiatus ends with Aga’s triumphant comeback

From left: Dingdong Dantes, Aga Muhlach, Ronaldo Valdez, Cristine Reyes and Enrique Gil

Seven Sundays” is unabashedly “mainstream.” But, in director Cathy Garcia-Molina’s latest tearjerker, that isn’t always a bad thing. The three-hanky drama is melodramatic, easy to predict, and many of its scenes are proficiently staged to make viewers weep buckets—but, as with its lead actors, its heart is in the right place.

The beating of “Seven Sundays’” heart will lead viewers to the thespic ace up its star-studded sleeve—Aga Muhlach, who makes his triumphant comeback after a five-year hiatus.

He was last seen on the big screen in 2012’s “Of All the Things,” with Regine Velasquez.

The 48-year-old actor keeps his film’s occasionally cringe-inducing excesses at bay and convincingly holds its shaky sections together.

‘Excess baggage’

Aga isn’t just “jowly,” as our dear NUT (Inquirer Entertainment columnist Nestor U. Torre) puts it. He is still handsome as heck but, at the same time, he’s a hefty sight to behold—especially beside the fit-as-a-fiddle, bida-kontrabida character portrayed by the dashing Dingdong Dantes to raffish perfection.

Aga’s “excess baggage” is magnified even further by the film medium’s ability to make everything and everyone it focuses its lens on larger-than-life—and larger-than-“large.”

So, we hope Aga doesn’t raise the white flag in his battle with the pesky bulge.

Be that as it may, unlike many heartthrobs who have once been paragons of “physical pluperfection,” who are then left with nothing much to offer after they succumb to the cruel ravages of time, wear-and-tear and abuse, Aga has never relied on his swoon-worthy good looks alone.

“Seven Sundays” is a classic case of talent trumping “beauty”—and flabs. Aga’s exquisitely limned portrayal is instructive for teleserye-weaned actors who bank on skill more than the ability to show empathy.

Tough row to hoe

Aga’s latest dramatic outing is a tough row to hoe, though: He plays Allan Bonifacio, a cash-strapped former OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) who has “let himself go” after failing to live up to everybody’s high expectations of him.

Allan and his siblings—who include the overachieving Bryan (Dingdong), the problematic housewife Cha (Cristine Reyes) and troubled social-media influencer Dex (Enrique Gil)—are forced to come together when their father, Manuel (Ronaldo Valdez), is diagnosed with lung cancer, on the day he celebrates his 69th birthday alone! The lonely widower is given approximately two months to live.

Overcome with guilt, Manuel’s quarrelsome children then decide to temporarily sweep their differences under the rug and “conspiratorially” agree to make their “dying” father’s last seven Sundays extra special, by giving him the “happiest sendoff” they could possibly “arrange.”

Then, the siblings realize that spending time with family—which they avoided for 16 years, following the death of their mother—isn’t as awkward and painful as they initially thought it would be.

The movie may be emotionally manipulative, with silly comic sequences incorporated into it to leaven its emotionally charged sections, but what the film isn’t is a screen drama you can easily dismiss, because it does what it has set out to do well that you let its surplus of schmaltz and contrivances slide. Its scenes, temperament and issues are distinctly Pinoy, each staged with conviction and relative flair.

Aga’s heft may be distracting to fans who are accustomed to his dreamboat persona but, call it “accentuating the positive,” the actor quickly puts that “visual distraction” to good use by turning a perceived liability into an incorruptible asset.

With as much understated grace as dramatic gumption, Aga uses it to generate empathy and understanding for his down-on-his-luck character. He makes viewers cry, but each line he delivers and every tear shed are well-earned and deeply appreciated.

Compelling performance

To be fair, “Seven Sundays” isn’t a one-actor thespic affair. With a performance that is just as compelling, Dingdong benefits from spot-on casting, which gives him elbow room to grow as an actor. It brings out his edge and allows him to expand his range.

For her part, Cristine insightfully veers away from the akting na akting style common in sudsy melodramas like this.

On the actress’ able shoulder, Cha may be a victim of an emotionally abusive husband, but Cristine refuses to dumb her character down by allowing her never-say-die spunk to come fighting and shining through.

Sadly, Enrique doesn’t have his coactors’ consistency and dramatic perspicacity to rise above those aggrieved, hush-puppy eyes. Having said that, Ken is 23 years Aga’s junior, so he has enough time to shake off his knee-jerk acting impulses and step out of the stultifying limitations of being stuck in a popular pakwela and pakilig love team.

Ronaldo and the lovely but underutilized Donita Rose (as Aga’s pregnant wife, Betchay) also manage to prove they’re not just pretty faces on “Seven Sunday’s” storytelling canvas that Aga and company can conveniently utilize to move their respective tales forward.

The film has long and “explicatory” confrontation scenes that sometimes go on and on—and weighs down its cohesive dramatic impact.

But, if you want some form of catharsis from unsettled scores and little-discussed issues with your loved ones, give the movie a shot, because it will remind you that the most significant ties in life are also the hardest to break.

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Seven Sundays

The Bonifacio siblings reunite when they learn that their father has been diagnosed with cancer. In the process, they must deal with their unresolved issues before it's too late. The Bonifacio siblings reunite when they learn that their father has been diagnosed with cancer. In the process, they must deal with their unresolved issues before it's too late. The Bonifacio siblings reunite when they learn that their father has been diagnosed with cancer. In the process, they must deal with their unresolved issues before it's too late.

• Cathy Garcia-Sampana
• Vanessa R. Valdez
• Roumella Monge
• Kiko Abrillo
• Ronaldo Valdez
• Aga Muhlach
• Dingdong Dantes
• 8 User reviews
• 4 wins & 21 nominations

Top cast 17

• Manuel Bonifacio

• Allan Bonifacio

• Bryan Bonifacio

• Dexter Bonifacio

• Cha Bonifacio

• Bechay Bonifacio

• Marc Bonifacio

• Juliana Smith

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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User reviews 8

• kengkoythegreat
• Oct 23, 2019
• How long is Seven Sundays? Powered by Alexa
• October 27, 2017 (United States)
• Philippines
• Star Cinema
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 2 hours 8 minutes

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Seven sundays.

Directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana

The Bonifacio siblings reunite when they find out their father is diagnosed with cancer. In the process, they have to deal with unresolved issues among themselves before it's too late.

Aga Muhlach Dingdong Dantes Enrique Gil Cristine Reyes Ronaldo Valdez Donita Rose Ketchup Eusebio Kean Cipriano Kakai Bautista April Matienzo Jeffrey Tam Charlie Dizon Clara Del Rosario

Director Director

Cathy Garcia-Sampana

Writers Writers

Vanessa Valdez Roumella Monge Kiko Abrillo John Raphael Gonzaga

Editor Editor

Marya Ignacio

Cinematography Cinematography

Theo Lozada

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Malou N. Santos Charo Santos-Concio

Production Design Production Design

Norico Santos

Composer Composer

Jessie Lasaten

Sound Sound

Allen Roy Santos

Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions

Philippines

Primary language, spoken languages.

Tagalog English

Releases by Date

11 oct 2017, releases by country.

• Theatrical PG

128 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

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Seven Sundays Reviews

Sadly, the film feels like a limper version. It lacks energy and there are portions in the film that it just plods along under the weight of exposition and heavy-handed dialogue.

Full Review | Mar 22, 2018

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Stars of ‘Seven Sundays’ reflect on family issues

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

MANILA, Philippines – There are sensitive themes tied in with the film Seven Sundays : strained family relationships, a terminal illness, impending death, and imminent loss. Aga Muhlach, Dingdong Dantes, Cristine Reyes, and Enrique Gil play 4 siblings who reunite according to the wishes of their dying father, played by veteran actor Ronaldo Valdez.

During a press conference organized by Star Cinema, scriptwriters Kiko Abrillo and Jorell Gonzaga said they interviewed doctors and cancer survivors so they could provide the necessary context regarding the father’s condition. But they were quick to clarify that the story focuses more on the family’s situation rather than the sickness itself.

Director Cathy Garcia-Molina said she specifically tried not to get into too much detail regarding the father’s condition.

“This is not a movie about [the sickness]. The premise is you have a dying father, and then what do you do? So regardless of the sickness, kung ano man ‘yan – que cancer, que lung, que prostate, que ano – (whatever illness it may be, whether it involves cancer, the lungs, the prostate) it doesn’t matter,” Garcia-Molina explained.

“The point of the movie is beyond the sickness. So as much as possible, we avoided going into detail about it precisely because there could be mistakes… especially when it comes to medical terms, those that are not in layman’s terms,” she added in a mix of English and Filipino.

From the trailer alone, one gets the impression that Seven Sundays was created to touch the hearts of viewers. It also makes one wonder from where the actors drew the emotions required for heavily dramatic scenes.

Enrique credited what he assumes are pent-up emotions that didn’t surface when his father succumbed to cancer in 2008.

“Ako kasi, hindi ako iyakin. Even when my dad passed away, hindi ako nakaiyak,” he said. (I don’t cry easily. Even when my dad passed away, I didn’t cry easily.)

Enrique recalled refusing to offer a eulogy during his father’s funeral. But Seven Sundays called for his character to deliver one, and that’s when he broke down.

“For some reason during that eulogy… I just wanted to get it out of me, baka I was trying to hold it. Hindi eh, hindi ko alam. But for some reason nung nasa eulogy kami, after how many years, sumakit. Umiyak ako do’n sa eulogy,”  he said.

(For some reason during that eulogy… I just wanted to get it out of me, maybe I was trying to hold it. I don’t know. But for some reason when we were doing the eulogy scene, after how many years, I felt pain. I really cried during the eulogy.)

Like Enrique, Aga has personally dealt with the pain of losing a parent. His mother also died of cancer in 2008. But he has a more pragmatic way of dealing with grief.

“In real life, I have acceptance of death. Death, for me, is part of life. If someone goes, it’s their time,” Aga said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Referring to his mother’s death, he said: “I cried, but hindi ko dinala [‘yung sakit]… Meron akong gano’n kahit sa sarili ko. Nakahanda ako na one day, [I will die]… Sana mas mahaba [pa ‘yung buhay ko] para makita ko ‘yung mga anak ko, magsilakihan pa. But I know, if it’s my time, and when it comes… gano’n eh.”

(I cried, but I didn’t carry the pain with me. I have that mindset. I’m prepared for the time when one day, I will die… Of course I would want to live longer so I’ll be able to see my children grow up. But I know, if it’s my time, and when it comes, that’s just how it is.)

Dingdong, on the other hand, was particularly moved by the family dynamics in the story, rather than the idea of personal loss.

“More than the premise of our father dying, it’s the whole premise that here’s a family where the children are now leading their own lives. In my own family, all of us are adults already. So we’re in the process of establishing our own families, and doing this film is a form of therapy for me because I get to reflect on my own family and see their positions,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“So this may go back to the core of who I really am, to my roots. Because more than romantic love, family love is basic,” Dingdong added. “[It made me] reflect on my family’s own situation. How’s my family doing? How are they now? What have I done for them? And what else can I do moving forward to show my love for them?”

It was slightly more difficult for Cristine to do the film, as she has not personally experienced losing a loved one. She did, however, find the family issues presented in the film quite relatable.

“In terms of family issues, doon marami naman akong pinaghugutan (that’s where I drew my emotions from),” she said.

Seven Sundays opens on Wednesday, October 11. – Rappler.com

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IJW: Seven Sundays (2017)

Source: https://www.reeladvice.net/2019/08/seven-sundays-movie-review.html

The narrative of "Seven Sundays" is one that has been hashed out countless times. But it finds a way to stand out due to strong performances from its cast presenting a family drama that's authentic and relatable.

When the patriarch of the Bonifacio family discovers that he has cancer and has seven weeks to love, the Bonifacio siblings are forced to meet each other and settle deep grudges between themselves.

How many times have we seen a film tackling awkward reunions between siblings who hate each other? To say that "Seven Sundays" was formulaic is an understatement. It's narrative was predictable at its best. But like that Marvel superhero film have proven time and time again, being formulaic ain't so bad - you just need to compensate that deficiency somewhere else. "Seven Sundays" made sure that what it lacks in fresh ideas it compensated with fleshed out characters. While not all characters were given justice, most of the major characters had their own issues and surprises that really turned up our interest levels. Inject those characters with superb acting and undeniable chemistry then what you get is a dramatic film with a lot of punch. While "Seven Sundays" won't shake you with it's story, it's characters will resonate with your emotional core.

Rating 4 out of 5 reels

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When In Manila Search

‘seven sundays’ film receives high recommendation from netizens.

If the tweets are any indication, netizens are loving Cathy Garcia-Molina’s new family comedy-drama film, ‘Seven Sundays.’

Starring Ronaldo Valdez, Dingdong Dantes, Enrique Gil, Christine Reyes, and Aga Muhlach, the film managed to capture the viewers’ attention, making it a trending topic on Twitter.

Here are some of the feedback from netizens:

I recommend everyone to watch Seven Sundays. It is totally worth it. — Gibz (@gibzrodado) October 15, 2017

If u think the movie is boring because its about a family thing then you must think again before you regret not watching it ? #SevenSundays — Mica (@miming_alzt) October 13, 2017

Just watched #SevenSundays . Impeccable acting from everyone, but can I just say, sooooobrang galing pa rin ni Aga Muhlach at dalang-dala ni Ronaldo Valdez ang pelikula! Hindi pilit ang storya. Touching at many points. Will make you go back to what is essential — Family. Watch! — Gretchen Ho (@gretchenho) October 12, 2017

I knew from the very start that the Seven Sundays movie won’t fail me. I watched it last night and it was worth the tears and laughter. ??? — daddyowl (@AlobJoe) October 15, 2017

Seven Sundays is definitely a must watch! Feel-good film with a bit of drama. Really nice to see with the family. Time well spent! 🙂 — Jarod Catolico (@jarod_christian) October 15, 2017

Good reviews and word of mouth is fueling #SevenSundays . Yassssss!!!! — All Polled Out (@Pordalabofyall) October 16, 2017

My TL is overflowing with Seven Sundays love.? Word of mouth surely is the biggest promotion a movie can get. ?? — Hope Floats ❄️❤️? (@iheartfinchel) October 15, 2017

Definitely, based on these tweets, the majority of those who watched the movie, cried.

Y’ALL SEVEN SUNDAYS WAS SO GOOD AND IT MADE ME CRY SO HARD ITS SO BEAUTIFUL — steph m (@pahdawan) October 15, 2017

Just got home. Maga mga mata huhu thanks to Seven Sundays ? — Nicole Erin (@fulgencioerin) October 15, 2017

PERO GRABE SEVEN SUNDAYS!!!! YOU GAVE ME SO MUCH FEELS :((((((( — tinay (@Martinanananaaa) October 15, 2017

Loved Seven Sundays!! The ice cream scene with Enrique and Tatay – the way his eyes lit up with joy. GOD I CANT MY HEART HE WAS SO HAPPY ?? — Kahlil Alcomendras (@ihipnghangin) October 15, 2017

Seven Sundays was so good I just cried the whole movie ? — Jef Aguillo (@jefaguillo) October 15, 2017

So I watched #SevenSundays last night & I WAS CRYING THROUGHOUT D WHOLE MOVIE??? THE ACTORS WERE SO GREAT BUT ENRIQUE GIL WAS SO IMPRESSIVE! — Rosie ? (@NotABadThing24) October 15, 2017

The others praised the actors who brought the film to life.

Great story portrayed effectively by its actors Seven Sundays is a must watch for every family member. #SevenSundays — Coco Pi (@mrCocoRoss) October 16, 2017

That #SevenSundays feels! Naka relate kami ng asawa ko sa character ni @iamdongdantes !!! All of them actually gave justice to their roles! — Michelle Legaspi (@chieberry74) October 15, 2017

Finally saw #SevenSundays ! ❤️ Ang ganda ng movie at ang galing nilang lahat! So proud of @itsenriquegil ! Step in the right direction! ???? — Andie P (@iamandiep) October 16, 2017

While some shared their realizations after watching the movie.

#SevenSundays watched it w/ my son lst nyt suddenly, i missed my tatay & nanay? may lapses pero worth it tlga. An eye opener to a lot. — achelois⚡ (@eppierey1999) October 16, 2017

#SevenSundays made me realize na dapat ipadevelop ang pictures. hindi lang basta post sa social media. A picture is worth a thousand words. — Mick Ysiad (@ginezmicky) October 12, 2017

#SevenSundays is making me pack up my things and go home spend quality time with family again. More movies of this liking pls. ? — Jerome G. Cuyos (@jgcuyos042795) October 15, 2017

HANDS DOWN TO ALL THE PEOPLE BEHIND SEVEN SUNDAYS!!!!! NO WORDS — Ciacia (@ciaciamendoza) October 15, 2017

‘Seven Sundays’ is a film that deals with family issues. Here is the official trailer that might convince you to take a trip to the cinema:

Have you watched the movie yet? What can you say about it?

About The Author

A twenty-something thinker, reader, and wanderer with a four-year degree in Journalism. She actively writes for a number of publications here and there, covering lifestyle and technology. If you don't see her behind a laptop, she's most likely out in the ocean, watching the sun come up.

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Seven Sundays (2017 film) explained

Seven Sundays (stylized as seven sundays ) is a 2017 Philippine family comedy-drama film directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina . The screenplay written by Roumella Monge, Kiko Abrillo, and John Raphael Gonzaga was adapted from a story by Monge, Abrillo, and Vanessa R. Valdez. It stars Aga Muhlach , Ronaldo Valdez , Cristine Reyes , Dingdong Dantes and Enrique Gil . [2] [3]

Produced and released by Star Cinema on October 11, 2017, [4] the film received praise from both critics and audiences and became the seventh highest-grossing Philippine film of 2017. It also marks Muhlach's return since Of All The Things in 2012. [5]

The Bonifacio children put letters in a can of Rebisco biscuits for their father, Barangay captain Manuel Bonifacio, a former overseas Filipino worker from Batangas . The opening scene also features pictures of the family at different points in time.

In the present, Manuel is a widower who lives with his nephew Jun. On his birthday, he is greeted by the townsfolk as he celebrates another birthday, he also receives birthday greetings from his children as well but however late in the evening, he receives the news from Dr. Nelson that he has lung cancer and has only two to five months to live.

All of the Bonifacio children: Allan, Bryan, Charmaine, and Dexter arrive at their old household and vote to let Manuel decide the last will and testament. The children decide to visit the old family household for seven Sundays in spite of their own problems: Allan is competing with a rival business owner named Mr. Kim, Bry wants to meet a woman named Juliana Smith, Cha struggles with her husband Jerry's infidelity and Dex is on the run after a botched concert event.

Dex is the first to arrive at the old household after he is told by his roommates to hide somewhere else after some victims are able to locate his room. He stays for some time and goes out to buy some call credits, and there he meets Camille, his old friend. They have gone to Allan's store and realize that he is facing financial issues.

The next day, the Bonifacio children decide to host a birthday party for their own father after not showing up to his birthday proper. They ask Jun to stall their father in order to buy some time; however, Manuel catches up with the act and pretends to be surprised. A basketball game is later held at Marc's urging, but Allan and Bry argue in the middle of the game, involving Cha and Dex in the process and causing their father to bring out knives to cause them to stop fighting.

Manuel expresses disappointment to his Jun. Jun then asks his cousins to get along, even if they have to pretend. The next day, the siblings pretend to get along but however, they could not agree on how to bring their father to the funeral parlor. Manuel tells them to prepare an advanced eulogy, causing an awkward moment and prompting his children to finally agree on something.

While at the family household; Bry, Cha, and Dex get to talk about their past selves and there Manuel receives a call from the doctor that he was misdiagnosed and that he simply had tuberculosis . Manuel does not disclose the news to his children, fearing that they will abandon him again.

The next Sunday, the family goes to the beach. Manuel shows an unusual amount of vigor, causing his children to be suspicious of his true medical condition. Manuel shows his family a game wherein he picks out a letter from the old Rebisco can and the siblings have to guess who wrote the letter. This causes the siblings to realize how distant they have become over the years.

Dex stays with his father and buys ice cream together at Allan's store. While confronting Mr. Kim, Manuel realizes Allan's financial situation. Dex hides again from those who are chasing him by asking Camille to mislead them. While eating with Camille at the restaurant she is working in, Dex sees Jerry and a college student flirting with each other, causing Dex to hit Jerry. While at it, Manuel calls his Bry to help Allan regarding his financial situation.

Bry arrives at the household and gives financial assistance to Allan. In turn, Allan helps Bry open up about Juliana, who turns out to be the mother to his child, Gian, and helps him contact her and Gian. The next day, after Bechay's medical check-up, Dr. Nelson tells Allan and Bechay the truth about Manuel's condition, causing Allan to confront his father and Manuel to explain his coverup.

One evening, as the family prepares for dinner, Dex confronts Cha about what actually happened to Jerry and overhears the conversation between his father and Jun about his true medical condition. Bry gets a call from a fellow lawyer about what Dex allegedly did during the botched concert. This causes Bry to confront Dex and leads to the siblings fighting each other verbally because of their shortcomings. Because of this, the siblings leave as Manuel laments about what transpired.

The next day, Cha evicts her husband; Allan returns to his store; Dex returns to his old room and Bry receives a message from Juliana. Allan laments about the state of his incomplete house; however, his son tells him about what he feels about his father, causing Allan to make amends to Bry and find the other siblings. The siblings help Bry meet Juliana and Gian.

The siblings then go to the cemetery where their late mother is buried. They see their father talking to her grave, lamenting about how he felt like a failure in being a father. The siblings say their promised eulogy to their still-living father and make a loving embrace.

The movie ends with Allan's store being relaunched while Mr. Kim's brother arrives for his store's groundbreaking, causing both sides to taunt each other and challenging the family to a dance showdown, with Mr. Kim's brother losing to the family.

• Ronaldo Valdez as Capt. Manuel Bonifacio: The family patriarch, he invited his children for seven Sundays as he initially thought that he would die of lung cancer.
• Aga Muhlach as Allan A. Bonifacio: The firstborn of the family, he manages the ABC's Family Store, a family business founded by his father. He faces the issue of his business being threatened by Mr. Kim, an enterprising businessman.
• Dingdong Dantes as Bryan "Bry" A. Bonifacio: The breadwinner of the family. He is a successful business manager and a Certified Public Accountant; however, he faced the issue of being apparently exploited by his own family members and wanted to meet his own biological son.
• Cristine Reyes as Charmaine "Cha" A. Bonifacio: The only daughter of the family. She inherited much of her late mother's traits, such as her cooking skills as exemplified in cooking Pancit Bihon and playing piano music. She faced the issue of dealing with her cheating husband.
• Enrique Gil as Dexter "Dex / Baby D" A. Bonifacio: The youngest in the family. He worked as a disc jockey; however, he was on the run from people especially that the concert he is involved in failed massively.

Supporting cast

• Ketchup Eusebio as Jun: The nephew of Capt. Manuel and the cousin to his children, Allan, Bry, Cha and Dex.
• Kyle Echarri as Marc Bonifacio: Allan's son who idolizes Bry.
• Donita Rose as Bechay Bonifacio: Allan's loving wife who is pregnant to another child.
• Kean Cipriano as Jerry: Cha's husband, he cheated on her multiple times.
• Kakai Bautista as Baby: Bry's secretary who has a one-sided relationship with Bry.
• Charlie Dizon as Camille: Dex's old friend.
• Jeffrey Tam as Mr. Kim: The rivalling business owner to Allan who threatened to buy the family store multiple times.
• Kin Billote as Kath
• Angelica Cruz as Leila
• Angelee Cruz as Sofia
• Gabriel Iribagon as Zac
• Alyanna Angeles as Yna
• Menggie Cobarriubias as Dr. Nelson: The family doctor of Capt. Manuel who initially diagnosed him with lung cancer.

Cameo appearances

• Bela Padilla as Marie A. Bonifacio
• Iza Calzado as Juliana Smith: Gian's biological mother.
• Edward Barber as Gian S. Bonifacio: Bry's 19-year biological son.
• Ryan Bang as Mr. Kim's younger brother

Critical response

Writing for Rappler , Oggs Cruz praised the story and the acting performances of the cast, particularly Ronaldo Valdez playing the patriarch but criticized for some scenes and dialogues where it became a softer version of the director's previous works. [6]

In popular culture

The movie is often compared to other films dealing with family, such as Tanging Yaman (2000), Four Sisters and a Wedding (2013, also distributed by Star Cinema), and Family Matters (2022). It also became a subject of memes, especially in one memorable scene where Cha (Cristine Reyes) told Jerry (Kean Cipriano), that she could live without him and then cried afterward.

Notes and References

• News: 'Seven Sundays' on KBO . Manila Standard . January 8, 2018.
• News: LOOK: Aga Muhlach, Dingdong Dantes, Enrique Gil to co-star in a movie . Rappler . June 27, 2017.
• News: WATCH: Aga Muhlach, Dingdong Dantes star in Seven Sundays trailer . CNN Philippines . September 28, 2017. October 9, 2017. October 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171002071524/http://cnnphilippines.com/entertainment/2017/09/28/Aga-Muhlach-Dingdong-Dantes-star-in-Seven-Sundays-trailer.html. dead.
• News: First 'Seven Sundays' teaser debuts with a bang online . Star Cinema. September 28, 2017.
• News: 'Seven Sundays' poster, revealed! . Star Cinema.
• Web site: Oggs. Cruz. "Seven Sundays" review: Well-acted but frustratingly conventional . October 15, 2017. Rappler . February 25, 2024.
• Web site: "Seven Sundays" wins Asia Pacific Tambuli Cinema for Good award . June 18, 2018. January 24, 2022.
• Web site: 'The Good Son,' 'Seven Sundays' honored at 40th Catholic Mass Media Awards . November 15, 2018. January 27, 2022.
• Web site: Celebrities who won at the 49th Box-Office Entertainment Awards . May 21, 2018. January 24, 2022.
• Web site: 'Seven Sundays' at 'Ang Larawan', humakot sa 36th Luna Awards! . October 11, 2018. January 24, 2022.
• Web site: Star Cinema scores numerous nominations at the 34th PMPC Star Awards for Movies . February 8, 2018. January 21, 2022.
• Web site: Who among nominees will win in the 2nd Entertainment Editors Awards for Movies aka The Eddys? . March 18, 2018. January 18, 2022.
• Web site: Winners of Eddy Awards 2018 bared; Maricel, Charo, Eddie and Nora among Film Icons honored . July 9, 2018. January 24, 2022.

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Saturday Night Isn’t Factually Accurate, But It Feels Spiritually True

Before the world premiere of his new picture Saturday Night at the Telluride Film Festival, Jason Reitman took the stage to describe the intensity of preparing an episode of Saturday Night Live . “It’s a level of adrenaline usually reserved for test pilots and heroin addicts” was how he put it. The director said that after the success of Juno , he did a one-week writing stint on SNL (it had been a lifelong dream of his to work on the show) and came away from the experience even more astonished at the process. Saturday Night , which depicts the hectic 90 minutes before the live broadcast of the very first episode on October 11, 1975, has the veneer of authenticity to it: Filmed in freewheeling, handheld 16mm, it speeds almost verité style through cluttered studio corridors and crowded stages abuzz with activity, dissension, and doubt. But there’s quite a bit of mythmaking going on here as well. Everything’s been played up (and sometimes made up) for maximum drama and chaos.

Back in 2018, before he descended into Ghostbusters sequels , Reitman made a film about the disintegration of Gary Hart’s 1988 Presidential campaign called The Front Runner , for which he employed a wandering, Altmanesque camera style that drifted among the characters, catching snippets of conversations and scenes. ( The Front Runner was something of a critical and financial bust, but I was transfixed by it .) Reitman does something similar here, though it’s a turbo-loaded variation, with the melodrama and the sensationalism and the conflict kicked up several notches. Saturday Night plays like an anxiety dream, and the dreamer in this case is Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), the producer at the center of SNL, who spends the hour and a half before airtime unable to explain to anyone what the show is. We’re told he has a vision – he’s told he has a vision – but even he doesn’t really believe it. “It’s postmodern, it’s Warhol, it’s iconic” is how one character describes a much-derided (and now-legendary) bit involving the cast in bee suits; we’re meant to think that’s a lot of hooey, but the description is later used to describe SNL itself, still with a hint of hooey.

There’s a touching truth here about the whole creative process. Michaels might have once known what type of show he wanted to create, but now, faced with the terrifying fact of its impending existence, he’s lost, and everybody else is lost along with him. The idea is to bring an irreverent, underground, at times almost Dada-ist sensibility to network television, but that also means surrounding himself with people whose own factory settings are bedlam and cynicism. And so, the lunacy swirls ever faster, and this disorienting, at-times nausea-inducing uncertainty carries the whole film. LaBelle, who broke through a couple of years ago playing Steven Spielberg’s anxious young avatar in the biographical drama The Fabelmans , has just the right deer-in-the-headlights anti-charisma to pull off Michaels; he at no point seems to be a man with a plan, and we enjoy watching him squirm. Writer Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), who also happens to be married to Michaels, is a lot more pragmatic and a bit more in control of the situation, energetically managing the many personalities around them, but she also doesn’t feel like her whole life depends on the success of this one show. “This is our shot, Rosie,” Michaels tells her. “It’s a shot,” she replies. She also tells him that, while they’re married, she’s not his wife. Among the many questions in the picture is how Shuster will be credited on the show – with her own last name, or as Michaels. (Even though Lorne’s real last name is itself Lipowitz, as she eventually reminds us.) This attempt to coax a conventional romantic through line out of the madness doesn’t really work, partly because Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan have otherwise done a fine job of making clear how unconventional this whole situation was.

The frenzied nature of the filmmaking rarely settles on any big scenes, which forces the actors to fill in their parts with a combination of acting strokes and our own shared memory. The movie’s cast mimics the show’s cast well, but they never feel like they’re doing impressions, save maybe for Cory Michael Smith’s somewhat programmed turn as Chevy Chase – but Chase’s self-consciousness was also part of his appeal, so it still basically works. Matt Wood has an uncanny resemblance to John Belushi, but he portrays the man as a frustrated artist, unwilling to sign his contract and almost catatonically humiliated by the fact that he’s doing television comedy dressed as a bee. We don’t see much of the unhinged physical energy that made Belushi so famous, but we can sense it, just under the surface. As Andy Kaufman, Nicholas Braun has just the right gawky awkwardness, and his brief, odd, mostly silent appearances in the first half of the film delightfully pay off near the climax. Ella Hunt gets Gilda Radner’s sweetness just right – but we see little of her actually performing.

It would take forever to go through the whole cast here, but they’re mostly aces. Matthew Rhys, in his brief moments, gives George Carlin a chest-thumping, confrontational machismo. As Garrett Morris, the show’s first Black cast member, Lamorne Morris strides confidently around the studio while constantly wondering what he’s doing there, a perpetual outsider. As the bottom-slapping Dan Aykroyd, Dylan O’Brien has a nice, chummy unpredictability, able to go full-nerd one minute, full party boy the next. His libidinousness gets a fun turnaround when we see him play a scantily clad man being harassed by a group of female construction workers. By that point, Reitman has already sent Michaels into one of NBC’s other stages to witness a garish dance number featuring Milton Berle (a howlingly good J.K. Simmons) groping a bunch of showgirls; the contrast between the TV That Was and the TV To Come couldn’t be starker, even as we get hints (muted, naturally, in this cinematic love letter) that the TV To Come came with its own share of issues.

Saturday Night compresses a lot of the intriguing storylines around SNL ’s first episode – and, really, its first season — into this one short night. When Willem Dafoe is introduced halfway through the film as NBC’s gravel-voiced, authoritarian head of talent David Tebet, we might wonder why such a person is appearing right before airtime on a show he doesn’t seem to know anything about. Well, that’s because he didn’t; by most accounts, Tebet was a champion of SNL and had been involved with it for months. When Lorne Michaels gets an angry phone call from Johnny Carson calling him a “benchwarmer” and “a stalking horse,” that too might feel a little off to those familiar with this history. SNL was in fact created because Carson didn’t want NBC airing any more of his reruns on weekends; he wanted to do reruns on weeknights to give himself more time off. So, SNL was there to make Carson’s life easier, not to compete with him. (Though, being Carson, he did reportedly have an adversarial relationship with the show.) Michaels is told that NBC wants him to fail: That these suits are just humoring him because they want to prove to Carson that they need to keep airing his reruns. This too might be a print-the-legend situation. But there’s another underlying truth here about the creative process: Sometimes, it feels like the whole world is against you. What’s more, sometimes you have to imagine that the whole world is against you in order to get anything meaningful done.

Condensation and embellishment are, of course, Filmmaking 101, but they do stand out more in a movie that’s all about the packed intensity of such a short timeframe. Isn’t it crazy that Lorne Michaels had to wander out into the streets of New York 30 minutes before showtime and pull a random, impoverished joke-writer named Alan Zweibel out of a bar where a stand-up comic was butchering Zweibel’s jokes in a back room? Well, yes, it is crazy, and it does not appear to have happened: In the real world, Zweibel came on board well before SNL first aired, though he was indeed writing cheap jokes for Borscht Belt hacks while also working a deli counter. There’s enough genuinely crazy lore around Saturday Night Live ’s first episode that it probably didn’t need all this extra semi-fictional material. At the same time, for anyone who’s worked on the show, the all-consuming commotion probably makes it seem like everything is happening in those few brief hours. Saturday Night might not be factually accurate, but it feels spiritually true.

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