The 2003 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Picture awardee from director Mark Meily takes us to the journey of a mother who will do anything, from cheating and deceiving people to disregarding her happiness and swallowing her pride for her son’s sake. Crying Ladies is a heartwarming comedy that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. It’s one of the few beautifully-made local films we Filipinos can be proud of.
The story revolves around Stella Mate, played charmingly and effectively by Sharon Cuneta, who was just freed from a year of imprisonment due to estafa. She’s also the mother of an intelligent boy named Bongbong (played by Julio Pacheco). She joins a radio contest, dons a funny costume for a TV game show and takes on an odd job as one of the crying ladies for a Chinese dead guy just to earn money to provide for her son.
Crying Ladies shows the hardships a mother goes through and the agonies she bears just to give what her child needs. It depicts a mother’s love that can endure pain, weariness, trouble, heartache and sorrow if it means comfort, safety, good future and happiness for her child.
The film is rich in Filipino traditions, culture and beliefs that we inherit from Chinese. Some of these traditions are offering food for the dead, the practice of feng shui, playing card games at a wake and kissing the hands of the elderly as a sign of respect.
Above all, the film teaches us that no matter how much the person you love hurts you, you will eventually learn to forgive. Thus, Wilson Chua (Eric Quizon) forgave his deceased father even if he was a philandering husband.
The most heartfelt scene in the film was when Stella finally said goodbye to her son which shows that great love entails sacrifices.
While watching the film, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my Mom, Josefina, who just like Stella did everything for me and my siblings. It made me realize how blessed I am to have a mother’s unselfish love.