"Saving Sally" Review: It's Worth the Wait

After a decade in the making, Saving Sally will finally reach the big screen.

Saving Sally was directed by Avid Liongoren, and was written by Charlene Sawit-Esguerra. It stars Enzo Marcos (Marty), Rhian Ramos (Sally), TJ Trinidad (Nick), Bodjie Pascua, Carme Sanchez, Sharmaine Centenera Buencamino, and Archie Adamos.

The movie is about an aspiring comic book artist, Marty, and his best friend, Sally, a gadget inventor, whom he is deeply in love with. However, Sally has a monster for parents and an inconsiderate boyfriend. In Marty’s fantasies, he must find ways to save the love of his life from the big bad world. It’s a typical love story indeed, but was told in a very colorful and imaginative way. A “boy likes girl who likes a douche” story, but will carry the viewers’ emotions with its romance, humor, the weight of the characters’ situations, and of course, the art.

The movie mixed the actors with lively animations, something that has been done many times before but this movie took a step up and went to a new level in the Philippine cinema. With the artistic minds and skills the creative team behind it have, these animations kept the film alive and there weren’t any boring and plain moment.

 

Superb acting and the right choice of cast. Marcos played the role perfectly for he was convincing as a torpe geek, and his good-boy looks fitted what Marty is. It was not difficult to give his character sympathy and empathize with him. Marcos made Marty so likeable and relatable. Ramos brought the charm in her performance as Sally, as she was able to deliver the character and make the audience see why Marty loves her so much. Trinidad was excellent as the inconsiderate boyfriend. He was able to let the audience know that his character, Nick, was the bad guy, but he can still make you think twice about it, with how his character plays in the movie. The way a villain tries to convince everyone that he/she is good. Plus, Trinidad’s appearance, his face, and his physique are very ideal for what Nick is supposed to be. The supporting cast members also did an outstanding performance and were the big factor on how the mood of each scene that they were in runs.

The movie will surely tickle your funny bone with every bit of jokes and puns it throws. The simple puns, such as the “Sandara Park” and “Tita”, that pop-up in the background, the humor each characters deliver, and the way the animations materialize are what made the movie fun and enjoyable to watch.

Overall, the movie was fantastic. The director, the writer, the cast, and the production and creative staff all did a marvelous job in creating this masterpiece. The ten years was worth the wait, and would love to watch it again.

Saving Sally earned its spot in the MMFF2016 lineup, and it definitely deserves to get that A rating from The Cinema Evaluation Board. It is not a Christmas film, but I will definitely recommend it for Christmas.

Rating: 9/10

Saving Sally will be released this Christmas on cinemas nationwide as part of the Metro Manila Film Festival 2016.

Read The Geekery's review here: http://www.thegeekeryph.com/2016/12/saving-sally-10-years-in-making-1.html

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Thanks Saving Sally for the private screening.