Episode 172 – A TFAL Review of ‘Easter Sunday’

This Filipino American Life

In this TFAL episode, we review the much-anticipated film Easter Sunday, the first Filipino American film produced and distributed by a major movie studio. Three out of the four of us were lucky enough to catch an early screening of the film at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Hollywood thanks to Gold House, the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), and Tremendous Communications.

Listen as Elaine, Ryan, and Joe discuss what it took to get the film made, what we loved about the film, what we thought wasn’t so great, the nitpicks we had, and the film’s impact on future Filipino American movies. And of course, listen to Producer Mike in his film school beret scoff at all of us for watching a film that will never live up to his standards.

Easter Sunday comes out in theaters nationwide on August 5.

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What are your thoughts on ‘Easter Sunday’? Leave us a voicemail and let us know 805.394.TFAL or email us at [e-mail].

About the film:

Joe Valencia (Jo Koy) is a struggling actor and single father to his teenage son, Junior (Brandon Wardell). For Easter Sunday, Joe and Junior attend a family celebration with their extended Filipino American family. With a feud developing between his mother (Lydia Gaston) and his Tita Theresa (Tia Carrere), Joe must manage his dysfunctional family’s antics in order to ensure the success of the family’s holiday.