Gymnast (2024)

Sunshine exquisitely illuminated the issues of teenage pregnancy and abortion in the Philippines.

TL;DR: realistic storyline, great use of noise/sounds, perfect acting & casting, and nice cinematography. an impactful film. 10 out of 10.
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[Medyo Taglish post ahead]

I was literally dumbfounded and emotional when I finished Sunshine at the cinema earlier. While the story does have a predictable plot twist, it was still a 10 out of 10 for me as it realistically mirrors the current situation of teenage pregnancies and the dangers of (still illegal) abortion in the Philippines. Additionally, there were no draggy and filler scenes in the film.

Firstly, the use of noise and sounds were amazing!! For me, ito talaga 'yung nagdala sa buong film. The camera work, props, setting, and coloring, too. All of these perfectly captured what real Manila (and real Philippines) looks like-- from busy and noisy streets, to people desperately clinging to religion and woo woo things, to harsh depictions of poverty, to sh*t healthcare system, to slut shaming and misogyny, I do believe they all nailed it. Kudos to Jadaone and the whole crew for this.

Maris Racal's portrayal of Sunshine is very much on point-- her acting was subtle, yet astonishing. She's done a notable role as a gymnast, too. Alam kong may body double siya pero 'yung emotions niya whenever she does a routine, lalo na sa pinakahuling routine practice niya? Wow. I felt her struggles as the movie went by.

The support roles were remarkable too-- Annika Co and Jennica Garcia were a great cast for the unknown girl and Sunshine's sister, respectively. Rhed Bustamante's role as Mary Grace and her story also shook me to the core. All of the casts did their role well.

Aside from being dumbfounded and emotional after I watched this, the movie made me feel disturbed yet empowered at the same time, because as a woman, I do believe we should have our own authority and our own choice on what to do with our bodies.

Overall, Sunshine is an enlightening film that will surely make you reflect about thousands of women in the Philippines, or maybe in the world, getting pregnant at an early age.

(Oh, and legalize abortion now.)

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