In a nutshell, this is the situation that the characters of JD Torres and Sari Alfonso find themselves in when they give in to their smoldering passion and attraction to each other. It shouldn’t have been a problem as JD is a single, good-looking self-made architect while Sari is also a single, gorgeous, budding apprentice cutter in a tailoring shop that JD was commissioned to renovate.
There is just one glaring hitch: Sari happens to be the mistress of JD’s father who JD despises because he knew his father was carrying an extramarital affair; he just didn’t know that it was with Sari. When JD finds out… it gets complicated. Bring his suffering mother with a dark secret into the picture and the romantic future of JD and Sari gets even murkier.
The talk of the town – or towns – these days as far as Filipino movies are concerned is The Mistress, the reunion movie of box-office heavyweights and much-admired love team of John Lloyd Cruz (JD) and Bea Alonzo (Sari) whose last film together was “Miss You Like Crazy” two years ago. People are talking about The Mistress not only because of the duo’s daring roles and the adult theme of the film, but because it is raking in at the box-office in the Philippines, grossing Php140 million already in just a week since it opened on September 12, according to Box Office Mojo, beating “Resident Evil: Retibution”.
The film has also played before enthusiastic viewers in Nice, France and Auckland, New Zealand where the TFC regional offices conducted screenings. John Lloyd and Bea graced the premiere in Nice as part of the region’s One Kapamilya Go event last September 15.
Helmed by acclaimed writer-director Olivia M. Lamasan, The Mistress is not much a cautionary tale on the perils of adultery, but more of a story on how certain narcissistic drives and impulses – sometimes masked as personal sacrifices – could cause many to make tough, but ultimately, morally indefensible choices. If a woman is a struggling breadwinner, is it acceptable for her to have an affair with a rich benefactor? Should you carry a relationship with your father’s mistress even if you truly love her? Can love ever justify a wrongdoing?
Critics have raved over the textured portrayals of John Lloyd Cruz, seasoned actor Ronaldo Valdez as JD’s father, and comebacking Hilda Koronel as JD’s mother. But most of the praise, so far, went to Bea Alonzo for the maturity and depth of emotions which she injected into the role of a mistress, a character not normally sympathized with. As early as now, awards buzz has started for Bea Alonzo.
Due to insistent demand, TFC@theMovies extends the screenings of “The Mistress” in key theatre locations.
For those who have yet to watch the movie, or would want to watch it again, please check out the website for the full list of theaters.
Tickets can be pre-purchased at www.fandango.com.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Milpitas
Century Great Mall
1010 Great Mall Drive
Milpitas, CA 95035
Sacramento
Century Laguna 16
9349 Big Horn Blvd
Elk Grove, CA 95758
San Bruno
Century at Tanforan
1188 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066
San Francisco
UA Stonestown Twin
501 Buckingham Way
San Francisco, CA 94132
Union City
Century 25
32100 Union Landing
Union City, CA 94587
For more information, please visit www.abs-cbnglobalmovies.com.