Direk Wenn's comedic genius at work in Moron 5 and a Crying Lady

MANILA, Philippines - Only box-office director and comedic genius Wenn Deramas could cook up a movie like this.

In Moron 5 and a Crying Lady, co-produced by Viva Films and MVP Pictures, direk Wenn is back in tip-top form, putting in harness his creative (yes, wacky!) mind that has produced blockbuster comedies like Petrang Kabayo and Praybeyt Benjamin.

Despite its title (that might be inspired by the popular band whose name sounds like it), the movie is hardly a musical.

Scripted by Mel del Rosario, Moron 5 and a Crying Lady is about five half-witted friends happily going with the flow of life until they are wrongly accused of killing the father of a Crying Lady.

Playing the Moron 5 are Luis Manzano, Billy Crawford, Marvin Agustin, Martin Escudero and DJ Durano, with John “Sweet” Lapus as the Crying Lady.

The five friends are aptly named: Luis plays Albert (Einstein?), Billy is Isaac (Newton?), Marvin is Aristotle (you know who), Martin is Michaelangelo (yes, “the one”) and DJ is Mozart (who else but “him”!).

Moron 5 is the first movie together of buddies Luis and Billy who have proven their mettle as TV hosts (Pilipinas Got Talent, etc.) and, they agreed, “We had fun from the start of the shoot to the finish.” It’s Billy’s first time to act in a comedy film and, although he’s more known as a singer, he said he realized that he could be a good actor. He’s set to leave for Europe to resume his rudely-interrupted career as a pop star there and might be back in July.

Luis has worked with direk Wenn, perhaps the only director who succeeded in making Luis bare his butt (in Who’s That Girl, with Anne Curtis as leading lady).

“This movie can draw more laughs than my previous movies ever did,” said direk Wenn.

In one scene, the Moron 5 does a macho dance. In another, during their escape from prison, they disguise themselves as Madame Auring (Billy), a Bombay 5-6 lender (Marvin), an old driver (Luis), a taho vendor (DJ) and a BB Gandanghari-type (Martin).

Moron 5 and a Crying Lady is a great upper after the gloom of Lent, opening in more than 100 theaters nationwide on Black Saturday, April 7.