Kimmy Dora (Kambal Sa Kiyeme)

It’s the gayest hit movie of the year, except that the person in drag is a woman (Eugene Domingo), playing twins: an evil vamp and a virgin dimwit. She’s surrounded by hot men – Dingdong Dantes in nerd chic, Zanjoe Marudo in farmer chic, Baron Geisler in badass lawyer chic, Ariel Ureta in grey-haired dying dad chic – and she chews quasi-sophisticate one-liners like the second coming of Joey Gosiengfiao. (“You can take the dog out of the squatters but you can’t take the squatters out of the dog!”) It’s only as funny as your taste will allow, which is to say, best leave your brain at the door and pull your inner queen out of the closet, the one that appreciates baked salmon and deadpan household help. Not since Roderick Paulate has an actor thrown herself into a stunt performance as expertly as Domingo. She’s so exuberant and nuanced, it’s easy to accept the blah premise – something about conglomerate shares and kidnapping – or the blah emotional message – that sisters must love each other because they’re sisters. Director Joyce Bernal’s brand of gonzo slapstick combines well with screenwriter Chris Martinez’s plotty queer farce, but this is really a triumph for (1) independent cinema, because new player Spring Films risked a big budget – with special effects! – and beat the giant media networks that withheld support and theatres that refused screening until after it already became a hit, and (2) for great caution-to-the-wind comedy.

GRADE: B+

Related Link:
Official Movie Site