Magnifico (2003)

63% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
97% of users liked it
(583 ratings)

Directed by Maryo de los Reyes, Magnifico is a sentimental family-oriented melodrama from the Philippines, written by Michiko S. Yamamoto as the first prize in a scriptwriting contest. Magnifico (Jiro Manio) is a young boy from the poor town of Lumban, Laguna, who tries to help out his parents… More Directed by Maryo de los Reyes, Magnifico is a sentimental family-oriented melodrama from the Philippines, written by Michiko S. Yamamoto as the first prize in a scriptwriting contest. Magnifico (Jiro Manio) is a young boy from the poor town of Lumban, Laguna, who tries to help out his parents (Albert Martinez and Lorna Tolentino) by raising money to bury his grandmother (Gloria Romero), who is dying of cancer. Meanwhile, his older brother (Danilo Barrios) loses his scholarship, and his sister Ellen (Isabella De Leon) suffers from cerebral palsy. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 3 min.
Directed By: Maryo J. De los Reyes
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 29, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Nov 1, 2005

Critic Reviews

Mark Holcomb, Village Voice
De los Reyes's fluid compositions, dead-on pacing, and knack for eliciting naturalistic performances make the story uncommonly cathartic.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Director Maryo J. De los Reyes and writer Mitchiko Yamamoto shamelessly press viewers' emotional buttons. But the film is so well-made and the performances so accomplished that it doesn't matter.
Anita Gates, New York Times
A modest but engaging Filipino tear-jerker.
David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor
Amiable, though much too long.
Adam Nayman, eye WEEKLY
That I bought into this transparent exercise in tear-jerking ... has as much to do with my own curious tolerance for subtitled excess as it does its own virtues of performance, scripting and direction.
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies
To western viewers, Magnifico plays more like a cultural document. It is fascinating to look at, but you are always out of the movie, and mostly to observe the details of emotional manipulation.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The very definition of sentimental overload. It's also impossible to resist.

Read all 7 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Maymay A

Aside from presenting the usual scenario in a typical Filipino community, Magnifico is a heartfelt and beautiful tale about a seemingly little and insignificant boy who was able to touch the hearts of the people around him. Well-written screenplay, superb acting and direction, and its… More
Aside from presenting the usual scenario in a typical Filipino community, Magnifico is a heartfelt and beautiful tale about a seemingly little and insignificant boy who was able to touch the hearts of the people around him. Well-written screenplay, superb acting and direction, and its ability to appeal to its audience's emotion made this a jewel of Filipino filmmaking.

Cast

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Magnifico (2003)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Maymay A

Cast

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