After their 2024 collaboration on And the Breadwinner Is…, Jun Robles Lana and Vice Ganda return to the Metro Manila Film Festival with Call Me Mother.
The film follows Twinkle (Vice Ganda), a beauty pageant coach planning to legally adopt her son, Angelo (Lucas Andalio). However, her plans are disrupted when Angelo is forced to reconnect with his biological mother, Mara (Nadine Lustre), to complete the adoption. With Angelo’s future at stake, both mothers are willing to do whatever it takes to claim their place in his life.
Here is SEA Wave’s High Five movie review of Call Me Mother.
A Child Star Is Born
Photo from Star Cinema
Introducing Lucas Andalio, MMFF 2025’s Best Child Performer, who plays Angelo in the film. Call Me Mother places him at the center of conflict between two women shaped by very different dreams. As both mothers fight to be part of his life, it is Angelo who is most affected—something the film captures with remarkable ease through Andalio’s acting.
He lights up the screen with natural charm, his eyes brimming with joy, conveying both innocence and a thousand emotions at once. Equally charming and talented, he delivers a deeply moving performance, holding his own in the film’s most intense moments.
A Cast That Mothered
Stills from Star Cinema
Beyond breakout star Lucas Andalio, Call Me Mother reunites Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre on screen for the first time in a decade. Seeing Nadine Lustre portray a mother is a new sight, yet she brings a natural maternal warmth that captures Mara’s quiet longing with ease, meeting expectations without ever feeling complacent.
Meanwhile, Vice Ganda delivers a new level of excellence in this film as Twinkle. Her MMFF performance last year already hinted at her dramatic range, but Call Me Mother fully realizes it through an achingly vulnerable and deeply moving turn. This feels like the full extent of Vice Ganda as an actor—worthy of Best Actor recognition.
It goes to show just how far both Vice and Nadine have come in their craft, with audiences ultimately winning as they face off in a moving, emotionally charged mother-off on the big screen.
A Carefully Crafted Dramedy
Still from Star Cinema
Call Me Mother is a vibrant movie. While the jokes don’t always land, the humor never feels out of place, leaning into trademark Vice Ganda slapstick alongside on-trend punchlines that audiences will recognize.
It is the kind of dramedy that finds a careful balance between humor and heartbreak. Its most pivotal moments are intense, executed with an emotional weight that will leave viewers teary-eyed.
From the film’s storytelling through color, to Bryan Chong’s rendition of “Tala” where the lyrics reflect Twinkle’s journey as a mother, each element feels carefully woven—coming together to form a beautiful piece of work.
Redefining Motherhood
Still from Star Cinema
Call Me Mother poses a simple yet profound question—“How are mothers made?”—and answers it beautifully. The narrative explores the grueling process of adoption and the struggles of being a queer parent, highlighting the difficulty and determination that define Twinkle’s journey.
The film shows that mothers are made through love, sacrifice, and commitment—an idea embodied by both Twinkle and Mara, whose choices define them as mothers. Mara gives up her place in Angelo’s life in pursuit of her dreams, while Twinkle sets aside her own ambitions to raise him. Through these acts, Call Me Mother illustrates that motherhood is not simply about giving birth, but about what one is willing to do—and the depth of love one can give. In this way, a mother can birth a child, but a child can also birth their mother.
A Film That Earns Its Spotlight
“Call Me Mother” bagged 3rd Best Picture, Best Child Performer for Lucas Andalio, Best Actor for Vice Ganda, and the Gender Sensitivity Award at the MMFF 2025 Gabi ng Parangal | Photo from Star Cinema
One criticism Call Me Mother has received is that its story feels familiar. While the premise may echo films that came before it, the cast’s performances and Jun Robles Lana’s direction allow Call Me Mother to stand on its own.
It reshapes a familiar story for a modern context, reflecting how times—and families—have changed. By centering a queer mother, the film offers a perspective that distinguishes it from earlier works built on similar themes. Its familiarity does not diminish its impact; instead, it creates space to deepen the film’s core by exploring aspects of parenthood that are often left untouched.
Call Me Mother should not be watched simply as a Vice Ganda blockbuster, but as a well-crafted story about family, love, and sacrifice—one that resonates across generations, and most deeply with mothers.
There are many reasons to appreciate Call Me Mother—from award-winning performances to a well-crafted narrative that balances tears and laughter, making it a rewarding MMFF experience. Whatever clamor and recognition it receives is well-deserved.
SEA Wave rates Call Me Mother 4 out of 5 waves.