MANILA, Philippines - In her latest movie, Pokwang proves that comedians are indeed also good in drama as shown by those before her (such as Dolphy who won an award not for a comedy but for drama; Tessie Tomas who won accolades for her portrayal of former First Lady Imelda Marcos; and German Moreno who won an award for playing an aging gay in an indie).
In Star Cinema’s A Mother’s Story, the first venture of The Filipino Channel (TFC), Pokwang starts out on a hilarious note and ends up in valley of tears.
In the movie directed by John Lazatin from a story and screenplay by Senedy Que, Pokwang plays a makeup artist who believes that her own American Dream will be finally realized when she accompanies a concert star to the US for a performance, only to discover too late that America is not really the friendliest land on earth contrary to what many Filipinos believe.
Pokwang as Medy is convinced by Helen (played by US-based actress Beth Tamayo) to try her luck in the US and Medy agrees going TNT (Tago Nang Tago). Later, Medy is forced to come home when her husband tells her that he needs a big amount to send their sick daughter to the hospital. Medy comes back empty-handed, finding her home in disarray with her children King (Rayver Cruz) and Queenie (Xyriel Manabat) having issues against her and worse, her husband (Noni Buencamino) guilty of something that Medy never expected.
“I can feel my role,” said Pokwang, “feel na feel ko ang character kong si Medy.”
Like Medy, Pokwang also worked abroad, although as a legitimate OFW, and it was while she was there that she learned that her child had died.
“At first,” said Pokwang in interviews, “I thought I couldn’t forgive myself. My child died without me seeing her. I went abroad to give her a better future at ganoon pa ang nangyari.”
A tried-and-tested comedienne, Pokwang in the beginning of the movie is her usual jolly self, very funny, but when her character comes home, she starts to turn dramatic as she finds her family estranged from her.
“In this movie, nailabas ko talaga ang pagiging drama actress ko,” she said. “I’m glad na ang istorya ay parang buhay ko, kaya hindi ako nahirapang umiyak sa mga eksena. Humugot ako sa tunay kong pinagdaanan.”
Pokwang has proven her dramatic prowess in several episodes of Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK).