The Long Plot, Sans Spoilers
Joselito (Aga Muhlach), a man with an intellectual disability, is a devoted father to Yesha (Xia Vigor). The two are inseparable until Joselito is wrongfully accused of kidnapping, murdering, and molesting the child of a government official.
He is thrown into prison where he meets people whose lives he and Yesha will change forever.
The Short, Honest Plot
Miracle In Cell No. 7 is a touching story of a man whose love for his child impacts the lives of everyone around him.
The Main Actors And Where You Last Saw Them
Aga Muhlach as Joselito
Aga was last seen in the psychological thriller Nuuk with Alice Dixson. This film was the first Filipino film shot entirely in Greenland and was screened in the Danish Film Festival in October.
Xia Vigor as Yesha
The child actress was last seen in the drama Unbreakable with Bea Alonzo and Angelica Panganiban.
Joel Torre as Soliman
Joel is currently a regular in the primetime teleserye Starla.
John Arcilla as Prison Director Johnny San Juan
John was last seen on the big screen in the Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino comedy The Panti Sisters. He is also a regular cast member in FPJ's Ang Probinsyano.
JC Santos as Mambo
JC was last seen in the Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino drama Open with Arci Muñoz.
Bela Padilla as adult Yesha
Bela was one of the lead actresses in the ABS-CBN primetime drama Sino Ang May Sala: Mea Culpa which ended in August.
Soliman Cruz as Tatang Celso
Soliman is part of the cast of the ABS-CBN primetime drama The Killer Bride.
Mon Confiado as Choy
Mon was last seen in the iWant series Jhon En Martian with Pepe Herrera and Arci Muñoz; and Bagman with Arjo Atayde.
Jojit Lorenzo as Bong
Jojit is a regular in the GMA teleserye Beautiful Justice starring Gabbi Garcia, Yasmien Kurdi, and Bea Binene.
Did You Know?
1. The original South Korean film of the same title is officially the seventh highest-grossing movie of all time in South Korea! This is quite a feat since it didn't have any big stars in the cast and had a modest budget.
2. The original movie's director and producer, Lee Hwan Kyung and Kim Min Ki, attended the premiere of the Pinoy remake. In an interview, they shared that even if they had seen their own movie a thousand times, they couldn't help but shed tears watching the remake.
3. It was announced in July that Nadine Lustre and Aga Muhlach would be starring in the remake. But barely a month after the announcement, it was revealed that Nadine had backed out of the movie because she wanted to take a break after doing two movies earlier in the year. In the same month, it was reported that Bela Padilla would be replacing Nadine in the film.
What I Think:
I knew from the start that I was going to cry watching this movie and I came prepared with an unopened pack of tissues. I had heard of the original South Korean film and how much people enjoyed and cried over it. But let me tell you: I wasn't ready to be SO MOVED by a movie. My crying was so bad that even when the movie ended and the lights in the cinema were turned on, I still could not stop weeping!
The film was just beautiful. It was a simple and straightforward plot. I knew from the get-go where the story was going, but even so, the emotions that came as the plot unfolded were a surprise to me. It was heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny. I shed a few tears at the start and in the middle of the movie, but the end just destroyed me.
Aga Muhlach was charming and believable as Joselito. I've always known that he was a good actor so it wasn't much of a surprise that he could pull this role off.
The actors that stood out the most for me were Xia Vigor who played the young Yesha, JC Santos who played Mambo, and Bela Padilla who played the adult Yesha.
For someone who is 10 years old, Xia has a lot of talent and maturity as an actress. JC Santos took me by surprise because I never knew he could be so funny!
Although it would have been interesting to see how Nadine would have played this character, I thought Bela was perfect for the role. She has this amazing ability to be so vulnerable onscreen that you can't help but feel for her.
The other cast members who are all known seasoned actors—Joel Torre, John Arcilla, Soliman Cruz, Mon Confiado, and Jojit Lorenzo—were all solid performers, and this movie wouldn't be as good without them.
After I watched the remake, I made it a point to also see the original movie. The remake was very faithful to the original. They made very few changes, but I thought those few changes made the film stronger and better suited for the Pinoy audience in the sense that it was given a more Filipino flavor and a more sentimental take at the ending.
Visually, I liked the original version's ending better, but I have to say that the Pinoy version's ending touched my heart to the core.
I'd Recommend It To:
Everyone! Please take the time to watch it this Christmas season. It's inspiring and makes you believe in the power of love, family, and friendship.