From my point of view, this movie is all about learning how to really listen to people, even without hearing them.
And while I think this will not bump any of my all-time favorites from my list, it is still a must-see.
The Actors/Acting
When it comes to the actors, I cannot deny that Maine Mendoza seemed awkward at first; she seemed very conscious of her movements and facial expressions.
But Carlo Aquino is a natural (this guy’s a league on his own). He was able to pull Maine from a stupor. In their scenes together, Maine was able to forget the presence of a camera and started to act naturally.
Maine’s acting in this movie was so much better than her movie with Alden Richards, entitled Imagine You and Me (I must confess I couldn’t finish that movie, though. Forgive me? ? If you want to watch a movie where Alden Richards is super awesome, I suggest you watch The Road. It’s one of my all-time favorite Pinoy films!)
An Eye-Opener
I love that I was able to learn a little sign language and was even inspired to learn this universal language more. If you’re like me, I found a couple of great videos from Youtube to help you get started:
According to what I’ve read so far, there are some differences between ASL or American Sign Language and FSL or Filipino Sign Language. It’s up to you which one you’d like to learn. If you really want to study ASL, I recommend taking an ASL course in Skillshare. Some are available for free, others require a subscription (there’s a 7-day free trial, though).
I’m glad I watched this film because it opened my eyes to the world of deaf and mute people, how they see us and how we see them. This is definitely an eye-opener.
I love (yes, I love again, because I’m beginning to appreciate it more and more) that I can look at this film as a social commentary about the current state of education of differently-abled people in our country without being too “in-your-face” about it.
Cinematography, Music and Story
When it comes to cinematography, some scenes can definitely be improved. I like the overall tone and texture, although some scenes seemed like a fish out of water (fitting, since Gali — Carlo Aquino’s character — said he relates to fish in some way).
The Filipino songs used were on-point; making me feel as if these songs were made for this movie. I am not a fan of any of the artists, but I bet you I’d be adding these songs to my Spotify playlist.
As for the story, it was predictable, yes. But the magic came from their storytelling, and it was perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.
So much feels. I look forward to watching more Pinoy movies like this. Despite the things that I find wanting, I will give this movie a perfect rating without skipping a beat. Five twinkling stars! ?????
Isa Pa, With Feelings is an interesting movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, best check it out at Netflix while it’s still available.
There are several great Filipino movies available on Netflix right now! Check out some of my other reviews below and see which ones I recommend.