Bruno vs. Kimmy Dora

Bruno is a blockbuster international movie.

“Kimmy Dora is a Philippine indie film with mainstream content," is how film makers and critics describe the rib-tickling movie starring comedienne Eugene Domingo.

I don't know about jargon, but I know how to choose. Between Bruno, the worldwide phenomenon, and Kimmy Dora, the local movie heard only through the grapevine, I chose to go for the underdog.


It was one of those suddenly declared non-working holidays. And so the banks, schools, offices, and other places where we belong were closed. Suddenly we had time in our hands.

"Let's go watch Bruno!" my two boys invite me.

"No way," I snap, by way of gratitude. They smile, by way of respect.

"How about Kimmy Dora?" Tony asks. "Rina Jimenez-David said some very nice things about it."

I have always respected Rina's opinion columns. And although I am only one of 95 million Filipinos, I support Filipino indie films because they have been like the CPR that can resuscitate our ailing movie industry.

"The movie starring Eugene Domingo?" I ask back. I also have a lot of respect for Eugene, after watching her in 100 (an indie film shown a year ago, and now one of my favorite Filipino movies of all time). That girl's talent is spelled with a capital "T." And I had read that Chris Martinez, the director of 100 and a Palanca awardee, wrote the script.

"Well?" Tony asks again.

"Well, I have no choice, do I?” I reply, by way of romance.

So we part ways—the two boys to Bruno, and their parents, to Kimmy Dora.

Kimmy Dora, on a budget thinner than a string, immediately surprises. Bruno is satirical; Kimmy Dora is hysterical, stripped bare of the sure-fire combination of sex, gay roles, and a stunning leading lady.

One minute you're rolling down the aisle with laughter, and the next minute you're wiping copious tears with wads of tissue paper. It is as riotous as it is poignant. Eugene, in the dual role of Kimmy and Dora, tackles both with effortless flair.

All told, the movie connects—extremely well. There are no distractions like poor sound recording, or bad cuts, or prolonged scenes, or inconsistent lighting, or storyline lapses, or cloying phrases. The direction and script are crisp and always unpredictable.

How did I know about Kimmy Dora? Well, definitely not from advertisements, for it had none. I read about it in blogs and columns and heard friends urging friends to watch it.

It's word-of-mouth at its best, belying all traditional routes smash-hit movies like Bruno takes.

When the two boys get home, they look ten years older, "Not as good as we thought."

Their father and I look ten years younger, "Not as bad as we thought." Not-bad-at-all.

This is not a tirade against Bruno. But a plea for Kimmy Dora. Go watch this well-crafted comedy, and be a part of the grace that is seeping through Philippine cinema—and permeating indie films.