MMFF 2019: Review of MIRACLE IN CELL NO. 7: Tangible Tearjerker

January 7, 2019

I have long known about a hit Korean movie entitled "Miracle in Cell No. 7" (Lee Hwan-kyung, 2013) which audiences loved as a tearfully emotional viewing experience. The positive word of mouth had been viral. However, I had not seen it yet despite its fame and status as one of the top ten biggest box-office hits in Korea of all time. 

Even before I got to watch it, Viva Films released a Filipino version of this film for the Metro Manila Filmfest 2019. Apparently, the appeal of its story was also very successful with Filipino audiences as this remake had overtaken the film of annual festival topnotcher Vice Ganda to top the final box office tally for the two weeks of the 2019 MMFF.

Joselito "Lito" Gopez (Aga Muhlach) was a mentally-deficient man who had a very close relationship with his six-year old daughter Yesha (Xia Vigor). One day, Lito got wrongfully accused and convicted of a serious crime involving the daughter of Secretary Yulo (Tirso Cruz Jr.). The case landed Lito in prison and incarcerated with tough criminals led by Boss Sol (Joel Torre) who all became his close friends.  Even the jail director Supt. Johnny San Juan (John Arcilla) eventually got won over by Lito's innocence and devotion to Yesha.

It was not surprising that many thought Aga Muhlach will win as Best Actor of this MMFF (but he did not). This role as Lito was very physically demanding because of the wacky childish antics he had to do to portray his character's mental retardation. Ok, there were times when these antics felt too over-the-top and even outright cheesy, but it cannot denied that those distinctive Aga Muhlach puppy-dog eyes worked their magic to make his dramatic scenes so emotionally evocative. 

It was also surprising that the winning performance of Xia Vigor as young Yesha did not win in the Best Child Performer category. Hers was a most endearing portrayal which would draw you in to shield and protect her from the harsh reality of her father's situation, as Yesha did to captivate her father's prison mates and even the bitter Sir Johnny. True that there were scenes when Vigor can get too cutesy, but Yesha's adorable naivete and kindness were truly irresistible even for the hardest hearts.

Lito's supportive cell mates, namely Boss Sol (Joel Torre), Bong (Jojit Lorenzo), Choi (Mon Confiado), Tatang Celso (Soliman Cruz) and Mambo (JC Santos), deserve a Best Ensemble award all their own. Of course, here they were more sympathetic and corny than hardened and fearsome, each with his own distinguishing little quirks and idiosyncrasies. John Arcilla were given his own side plot with moments to shine as the stern prison officer who could not move on from his own family tragedy. Bela Padilla had bookend roles as adult Yesha.

The script by Mel Mendoza del Rosario did well in his adaptation to set the Lito's story in the 1990s when the death penalty was still legal in the local setting. The production designer had to make sure their cell phones had to stick to their chosen time period. Director Nuel Naval, who once directed love teams James-Nadine in "This Time" (2016) and Richard-Dawn "A Love Affair" (2015), did absolutely everything to make sure his film will drain our tear ducts as the original famously did. With its massive box office take, I guess Nuel knew his audience well. 7/10.