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06/05/08
The Debut (2000)
73 %
Reviews Counted: 22 Fresh: 16 Rotten:6 Average Rating: 6.4/10
Runtime: 88 mins
Synopsis: Filipino-American high school student Ben (Dante Mercado) works in a comic book shop to earn money to pay his way into Cal Arts. His father, a postman, is determined that his son--who has won a pre-med scholarship to UCLA--will become a doctor. The eighteenth birthday party of Ben's sister,... [More]
Genre: Comedies
Starring: Dante Basco, Eddie Garcia, Tirso Cruz III, Gina Alajar, Dion Basco
Reviews
Top CriticClick to read the article
06/03/06
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07/21/05
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10/17/03
The Joy Luck Club did the "white people are ignorant" story with less obviousness
08/15/03
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05/13/03
Director Gene Cajayon, with co-writer John Manal Castro and a charming cast, continually subverts expectations.
11/15/02
Mostly the situations, albeit compressed, ring true; the characters are admirably multi-dimensional, and there are welcome doses of humor that compensate for any contrivances.
11/15/02
Top Critic
That it feels so predictable is, ironically, a tribute to the universality of the experience it explores.
10/18/02
A neat blend of well-drawn major characters and drama, music, dance, romance and humor that generates considerable charm and achieves a heartwarming resolution of its generational conflict.
10/17/02
Top Critic
The film has a sweet low-budget quality that sometimes slips into TV-movie schmaltz.
10/15/02
Predictable but heartfelt, and valuable in that it is one of the first Filipino-American productions.
10/10/02
For all its familiarity, The Debut (an unfortunately bland and vague title) is a film from the heart...
08/16/02
Celebrates community and family, and does so in such a warm-hearted way that its formulaic nature is easily forgiven.
08/16/02
Familiar in its story arc, but fresh in its energy and lucky in its choice of actors.
03/22/02
Top Critic
A delightful coming-of-age film that becomes universal by way of its subject matter.
03/21/02
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