Movie Review: Romcom Asian Persuasion is funny, persuasive
By Marivir Montebon
New York - At the world premiere of Asian Persuasion, I rated the romantic comedy 4 of 5 stars after a hearty laughter watching it. Soon enough, the film won the 2023 Audience Award at the Soho International Film Festival in October. Indeed, it was a crowd pleaser.
Asian Persuasion is directed and produced by Tony- and Grammy-winning producer and director Jhett Tolentino and written by Mike Ang. It boasts of a full Pan-Asian cast and crew under the Jhett Tolentino Productions. Its birthing pangs included logistical challenges and the pandemic. Thus, its autumnal premiere in the Big Apple was a triumph by itself.
Asian Persuasion, directed by Jhett Tolentino and written by Mike Ang, stars Dante Basco (“The Fabulous Filipino Brothers,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender”), Philippine actress KC Concepcion, Kevin Kreider (“Bling Empire”), and Paolo Montalban (“The Girl Who Left Home,” “Mortal Kombat: Conquest”).
Starring Dante Basco (“The Fabulous Filipino Brothers,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender”), Philippine actress KC Concepcion, Kevin Kreider (“Bling Empire”), and Paolo Montalban (“The Girl Who Left Home,” “Mortal Kombat: Conquest”), Asian Persuasion is themed on life after divorce with a hilarious plot. Thankfully, it’s not dragging. It has an exciting twist that knotted the story’s conflict convincingly as the characters redeemed themselves in the end.
The tandem of Basco and Kreider, as best of conniving friends, kept the humor alive. Basco was an amazing actor, and Kreider, for his debut film, was impressive. Their drinking session was insanely fun.
Concepcion, portraying the main character Avery, was constantly too sweet for me. Perhaps it was because of the trappings of the English language that limits the full expression of a sad emotion.
Dante Basco, KC Concepcion, Kevin Kreider, Paolo Montalban, and Scarlett Sher at the world premiere of Asian Persuasion in NYC.
The Filipino culture thriving in New York was so well-played up in Asian Persuasion. Tolentino, in this first feature directorial job, made sure of that.
I liked how Basco made ube pancakes for his daughter (young actress Scarlett Sher) and that grandma (played by actress singer Fe delos Reyes) made sure that her grandchild was pampered with Filipino food pancit and lechon. The film intentionally emphasized utmost care for a child in broken home, clearly a family value shared here.
Set mostly in Woodside which is home to the majority of Filipinos in New York, Asian Persuasion reflected the humble spatial reality of living a diasporic life in Queens.
Asian Persuasion persuaded me to laugh and like it - thanks to its sensible and compassionate closure. Divorces need not be disastrous after all.
Asian Persuasion will be released nationwide in the Philippines and Guam on November 29 and in New York on December 8-14, 2023. It’s worth my time and money. I could watch it again when it returns to the Big Apple at the Village East by Angelika Theater. #
