Crying Ladies

Mark Meily's 2003 Filipino film is set in the Chinese quarter of Manila. A man arranging his father's funeral hires three women to weep at the wake, and all three do it for the money. The humour comes from that trade. The women perform at the funeral while their own lives are far harder; the narrative opens each of their pasts separately and reduces none of them to pity. Sharon Cuneta leads. The funeral customs of the Filipino Chinese community are shown in detail. The tone moves between comedy and drama and the close keeps its emotional emphasis measured. Who it's for: those who like Filipino comedy and ensemble narrative. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a single story; the film runs three lines in parallel.