“Edna” Review: Well Acted By Irma Adlawan In The Title Role

WE’VE SEEN so many movies about OFW’s, from Vilma Santos’ “Anak”, Nora Aunor’s “Flor Contemplacion” and Sharon Cuneta’s “Caregiver”, to Vina Morales’ “Sarah Balabagan Story”, Pokwang’s “A Mother’s Story” and Jodi Sta. Maria’s “Migrante”. These are all sad tales of selfless moms going abroad for the sake of their families, most of whom are ingrates. But in no other OFW film is the heroine most oppressed and taken advantage of than in “Edna”, the directorial debut of Ronnie Lazaro (an actor for several decades, best known for movies like “Boatman” and “Bagong Buwan”), starring Irma Adlawan in the title role.



Edna comes home during the Christmas season after working as a caregiver for ten years abroad. She soon discovers that the son (Nicco Manalo) she sent to medical school did not really become a doctor but instead works as a basketball coach in a neighbourhood league and is married to a materialistic woman (Sue Prado.)
The daughter (Mara Marasigan) whom she thought would be a lawyer has actually become the “kabit” of her boyfriend who she supports along with his two children. Her youngest son (Micko Laurente) is a victim of child abuse by her sister-in-law (Frances Makil). Adding insult to injury is her discovery that her husband (Ronnie Lazaro) is gay and supports his lover, their own godson (Kiko Matos.) What’s more, their home has been turned into a gambling den peopled by lowlifes.

How sad for Edna indeed! Imagine, she’s working her ass off abroad and the people she cares for all turn out to be conniving leeches sucking her blood. No wonder Edna starts to lose her sanity. At that point when the color cinematography turns into black and white, you know it’s a sign that she’s losing her marbles. And you can’t blame her when she gives the greedy parasites the comeuppance they all deserve in a massacre by rat poison sequence where everyone’s mouth is shown foaming.

But wait, the film turns into a psychological thriller and you ask: is it all really happening or is everything just a figment of Edna’s warped imagination? Don’t leave right away and wait for the title credits to end as there is an additional sequence that shows an alternate ending. It’s up to you if you’d like to buy it or reject it.

Well acted by Irma in the title role, the movie will be shown on a very limited engagement starting today in only a few theatres: SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Sta Mesa, SM Manila, SM Bacoor and Sta. Lucia East.

The next time someone makes an OFW movie, we wish it would show the positive effects of working abroad, for a change. After all, not all OFW’s have tales of woes and problems to tell. We know of so many people who worked abroad and whose sacrifices paid off as the lives of their respective family members really improved. They were able to get big houses filled with appliances for their families and succeed in sending their kids to school to get college degrees. But then again, we guess such stories with happy endings might not make interesting films so they dwell on the negative.