ACTIVITY SHEET READING AND WRITING

Read the excerpt of the film review lifted from (Lionheartv.net 2017). Then, record the sequence of
events on a graphic organizer.

MOVIE REVIEW: “SEVEN SUNDAYS” (excerpt)

Star Cinema’s “Seven Sundays” revolves around the story of Bonifacio family, whose patriarch, Manuel,
(Ronaldo Valdez) is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Seeing the family he built with his now deceased-
wife, falling apart, Manuel has only one dying wish: see his four children together again and
reconnected, happy and looking for each other, like when they were still kids.

But time and distance have taken a great toll on his children’s relationships which have been mostly
strained by insecurities and pride among them.

His eldest, Allan (Aga Mulach), is a struggling father trying to make ends meet for his own family. Bryan
(Dingdong Dantes), the middle child, who in spite of being the most successful, harbors bitterness
towards Allan, whom he thinks has remained his father’s favorite. Cha (Cristine Reyes), now a mother of
three, tries to hide her malfunctioning marriage, and Dexter (Enrique Gil), the youngest, keeps himself
distant from the family he thinks abandoned him.

They are forced to reconcile under the same roof, and as they try to grant their dying father’s wish, a
recollection of their history and some assessment of where they are and have gone as a family, are
inevitably ensued.

But Dingdong Dantes has arguably emerged as the strongest performer. There is a powerful exchange of
accusations and revelation of insecurities among the siblings, where Bryan bares his bitter struggle to
prove himself and his worth in the family.

Enrique Gil’s Dexter has practically the same baggage. He struggles to connect to the members of his
family whom he feels left him when he was in need of someone to guide him through growing up. As
anticipated, every member of the family has to survive the pains of 26 growing up, but it is growing apart
that proves to be more damaging to the Bonifacio family, and it is more evident in Dexter.

But then, all these characters radiate around Manuel, played by Ronaldo Valdez, who has singularly
maintained his dramatic genius throughout the film. His struggle as a father trying to keep the
foundations of his already rattled family makes his character accessible, hence it emerges as the most
relatable element of the film.

For what it’s worth, while “Seven Sundays” struggles to abandon the conventions of its genre, this Cathy
Garcia-Molina-helmed family drama turns out to be actually memorable. Its utter earnestness to relate a
familiar story moves the film to levels that are bracing enough to capture audience and tug at their
heartstrings. With its poignant sentiments about family, it hits right in the heart, and for that, “Seven
Sundays” is exceptional.
In a separate sheet of paper, use the graphic organizer to show the order of events recounted in the film
review.

TIMELINE ORGANIZER
BEGINNING

MIDDLE

ENDING

GROUP MEMBER:
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