Seven Sundays (2017 Film)

''Seven Sundays'' (stylized as seven sundays) is a 2017 Philippine family comedy-drama film directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina. The screenplay written by Roumella Monge, Kiko Abrillo, and John Raphael Gonzaga was adapted from a story by Monge, Abrillo, and Vanessa R. Valdez. It stars Aga Muhlach, Ronaldo Valdez, Cristine Reyes, Dingdong Dantes and Enrique Gil.

Produced and released by Star Cinema on October 11, 2017, the film received praise from both critics and audiences and became the seventh highest-grossing Philippine film of 2017. It also marks Muhlach's return since '' Of All The Things'' in 2012.

Plot

The Bonifacio children put letters in a can of Rebisco biscuits for their father, Barangay captain Manuel Bonifacio, a former overseas Filipino worker from Batangas. The opening scene also features pictures of the family at different points in time.

In the present, Manuel is a widower who lives with his nephew Jun. On his birthday, he is greeted by the townsfolk as he celebrates another birthday, he also receives birthday greetings from his children as well but however late in the evening, he receives the news from Dr. Nelson that he has lung cancer and has only two to five months to Throw it Back.

All of the Bonifacio children: Allan, Bryan, Charmaine, and Dexter arrive at their old household and vote to let Manuel decide the last will and testament. The children decide to visit the old family household for seven Sundays in spite of their own problems: Allan is competing with a rival business owner named Mr. Kim, Bry wants to meet a woman named Juliana Smith, Cha struggles with her husband Jerry's infidelity and Dex is on the run after a botched concert event.

Dex is the first to arrive at the old household after he is told by his roommates to hide somewhere else after some victims are able to locate his room. He stays for some time and goes out to buy some call credits, and there he meets Camille, his old friend. They have gone to Allan's store and realize that he is facing financial issues.

The next day, the Bonifacio children decide to host a birthday party for their own father after not showing up to his birthday proper. They ask Jun to stall their father in order to buy some time; however, Manuel catches up with the act and pretends to be surprised. A basketball game is later held at Marc's urging, but Allan and Bry argue in the middle of the game, involving Cha and Dex in the process and causing their father to bring out knives to cause them to stop fighting.

Manuel expresses disappointment to his Jun. Jun then asks his cousins to get along, even if they have to pretend. The next day, the siblings pretend to get along but however, they could not agree on how to bring their father to the funeral parlor. Manuel tells them to prepare an advanced eulogy, causing an awkward moment and prompting his children to finally agree on something.

While at the family household; Bry, Cha, and Dex get to talk about their past selves and there Manuel receives a call from the doctor that he was misdiagnosed and that he simply had tuberculosis. Manuel does not disclose the news to his children, fearing that they will abandon him again.

The next Sunday, the family goes to the beach. Manuel shows an unusual amount of vigor, causing his children to be suspicious of his true medical condition. Manuel shows his family a game wherein he picks out a letter from the old Rebisco can and the siblings have to guess who wrote the letter. This causes the siblings to realize how distant they have become over the years.

Dex stays with his father and buys ice cream together at Allan's store. While confronting Mr. Kim, Manuel realizes Allan's financial situation. Dex hides again from those who are chasing him by asking Camille to mislead them. While eating with Camille at the restaurant she is working in, Dex sees Jerry and a college student flirting with each other, causing Dex to hit Jerry. While at it, Manuel calls his Bry to help Allan regarding his financial situation.

Bry arrives at the household and gives financial assistance to Allan. In turn, Allan helps Bry open up about Juliana, who turns out to be the mother to his child, Gian, and helps him contact her and Gian. The next day, after Bechay's medical check-up, Dr. Nelson tells Allan and Bechay the truth about Manuel's condition, causing Allan to confront his father and Manuel to explain his coverup.

One evening, as the family prepares for dinner, Dex confronts Cha about what actually happened to Jerry and overhears the conversation between his father and Jun about his true medical condition. Bry gets a call from a fellow lawyer about what Dex allegedly did during the botched concert. This causes Bry to confront Dex and leads to the siblings fighting each other verbally because of their shortcomings. Because of this, the siblings leave as Manuel laments about what transpired.

The next day, Cha evicts her husband; Allan returns to his store; Dex returns to his old room and Bry receives a message from Juliana. Allan laments about the state of his incomplete house; however, his son tells him about what he feels about his father, causing Allan to make amends to Bry and find the other siblings. The siblings help Bry meet Juliana and Gian.

The siblings then go to the cemetery where their late mother is buried. They see their father talking to her grave, lamenting about how he felt like a failure in being a father. The siblings say their promised eulogy to their still-living father and make a loving embrace.

The movie ends with Allan's store being relaunched while Mr. Kim's brother arrives for his store's groundbreaking, causing both sides to taunt each other and challenging the family to a dance showdown, with Mr. Kim's brother losing to the family.

Cast

Main cast

*Ronaldo Valdez as Capt. Manuel Bonifacio: The family patriarch, he invited his children for seven Sundays as he initially thought that he would die of lung cancer.
*Aga Muhlach as Allan A. Bonifacio: The firstborn of the family, he manages the ABC's Family Store, a family business founded by his father. He faces the issue of his business being threatened by Mr. Kim, an enterprising businessman.
*Dingdong Dantes as Bryan "Bry" A. Bonifacio: The breadwinner of the family. He is a successful business manager and a Certified Public Accountant; however, he faced the issue of being apparently exploited by his own family members and wanted to meet his own biological son.
*Cristine Reyes as Charmaine "Cha" A. Bonifacio: The only daughter of the family. She inherited much of her late mother's traits, such as her cooking skills as exemplified in cooking Pancit Bihon and playing piano music. She faced the issue of dealing with her cheating husband.
*Enrique Gil as Dexter "Dex / Baby D" A. Bonifacio: The youngest in the family. He worked as a disc jockey; however, he was on the run from people especially that the concert he is involved in failed massively.

Supporting cast

*Ketchup Eusebio as Jun: The nephew of Capt. Manuel and cousin of Allan, Bry, Cha, and Dex.
*Kyle Echarri as Marc Bonifacio: Allan's son who idolizes his uncle Bry.
*Donita Rose as Bechay Bonifacio: Allan's loving wife who is pregnant to another child.
*Kean Cipriano as Jerry: Cha's husband who cheated on her multiple times.
*Kakai Bautista as Baby: Bry's secretary who has a one-sided relationship with him.
*Charlie Dizon as Camille: Dex's old friend.
*Jeffrey Tam as Mr. Kim: The rivalling business owner to Allan who threatened to buy the family store multiple times.
*Kin Billote as Kath
*Angelica Cruz as Leila
*Angelee Cruz as Sofia
*Gabriel Iribagon as Zac
*Alyanna Angeles as Yna
*Menggie Cobarriubias as Dr. Nelson: The Bonifacio family's doctor who initially diagnosed Capt. Manuel with lung cancer.

Cameo appearances

*Bela Padilla as Marie A. Bonifacio
*Iza Calzado as Juliana Smith: Gian's biological mother.
* Edward Barber as Gian S. Bonifacio: Bry's 19-year biological son.
*Ryan Bang as Mr. Kim's younger brother

Reception

Critical response

Writing for Rappler, Oggs Cruz praised the story and the acting performances of the cast, particularly Ronaldo Valdez playing the patriarch but criticized for some scenes and dialogues where it became a softer version of the director's previous works.

Accolades

In popular culture

The movie is often compared to other films dealing with family, such as ''Tanging Yaman'' (2000), ''Four Sisters and a Wedding'' (2013, also directed by Garcia-Molina and distributed by Star Cinema), and ''Family Matters'' (2022). It also became a subject of memes, especially in one memorable scene where Cha (Cristine Reyes) told Jerry (Kean Cipriano), that she could live without him and then cried afterward.

Notes

References

External links

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{{Cathy Garcia-Molina

2017 films
2017 comedy-drama films
Philippine comedy-drama films
Star Cinema films
Films set in Batangas
Films shot in Batangas
Films about father–child relationships
Films about dysfunctional families
Films about siblings