Easter Sunday (2022)

A man returns home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family, in this love letter to the Filipino-American community.

What is so interesting about Easter Sunday is how it plays on the humorous side of Filipino culture in an American-produced film. Being of that heritage myself (but born in the states), it feels so familiar and immersive. As though you easily relate to these people as cousins and relatives you haven’t seen in years. I had my mom (who comes from Manila) tag along to view this at our local theater and she had so much fun with it saying she found it to be “too true” and is something she’s used to on her side of the family. Stand-up comic Jo Koy did a great job leading his first comedy vehicle under Universal and Spielberg’s Amblin that the laughs were pretty much going on nonstop.

Since the movie is loosely based on the life of Jo himself and the way he describes Easter Sunday as the “Filipino Super Bowl,” it’s a delightful setup to getting to know his family life outside of his standup work. Sure, it has some exaggerated or fictional accounts over what his personal life is really like, but it nevertheless was worth viewing. As it is with my own cousins and relatives in both the states and overseas, the characters in this movie are quite likable and funny to be in the presence of. Jo’s costars like Tia Carrere, Jimmy O. Yang, and scene stealer Tiffany Haddish keep the story going. Whereas newcomers like Brandon Wardell who plays his son Junior and Eva Noblezada as his son’s love interest Tala gave great performances as well.

Basically, the entire movie focuses on Jo trying to balance his professional life and personal life to the best of his skills. Traveling outside LA to Daly City to meet his mom near San Francisco with his son in tow to build a better bond with him is something he is sorely missing. And of course, finding what’s more important in life than just a high-profile job by itself. I’d say with the family values combined with the stereotypical motifs and gags of a Filipino family alone, it also tries to make it remain grounded too. Despite some parts of the movie feeling too similar in concept as past comedies I’ve seen (along with the tendency for gags to sound recycled and go stale at times), Easter Sunday is definitely a knockout with the countless predicaments and misunderstandings Jo faces regardless of familiarity. I’d give it a shot. Wasn’t disappointed.