When old crone Fely Malabao (Nova Villa) overheard the news that she would be taken to a nursing home for being the main stressor of her daughter-in-law, she came across a magical photo booth that transformed her back to her younger self.
Out with the old and in with the new. Fely Malabao is now Odrey De Leon (Sarah Geronimo). Younger and prettier, it is finally her chance to follow her dream of becoming a singer.
But as it turns out, this transformation comes with a price. Something that Fely would later find out.
"Miss Granny" is a remake of the highly successful South Korean film of the same name. The film is a hit with the Filipino audience, as evident by the awards it won and the millions of pesos it earned.
But I think it didn't do enough to make a mark.
Director Joyce Bernal, who is best known for comedies like "Agent X44" and "Kimmy Dora," couldn't find a balance between drama and humor in this one. The tone is kind of messy and discombobulating.
I don't like how rushed and dull the third act of the movie is. I know that this is based on something else and they are compelled to stay as true as possible to the original beat of the SoKor Movie. But changing the story just a little bit to make it more interesting shows respect to the material than adapting it parts per parts.
Honestly, it is difficult to root for Sarah Geronimo's character. Her youthful energy could be distracting and annoying. But her (and also Nova Villa's) performance was the only good thing about the movie so it's an offset.
In the end, Miss Granny is a film that is made to make money. This movie had a lot of potential, but it was ruined by a lot of bad things.
2/5
