Nicely timed for Father's Day is the new drama from Star Cinema. It's the much-awaited reunion movie with 80s heartthrob-turned-top-California-real estate agent Gabby Concepcion and his daughter KC Concepcion, whose mother is Sharon Cuneta. I'll Be There (by veteran director Maryo J. de los Reyes) is the story of an angry and ambitious young woman named Maxi (KC Concepcion) who finds herself in financial trouble trying to launch her fashion collection in New York City. Maxi goes home to the Philippines to find her estranged father (Gabby Concepcion) so she can collect the inheritance from her recently dead mother. There's fifteen years between them and Maxi still feels her father's abandonment keenly. But now dad wants to keep his daughter around for as long as he can, so they strike a deal: Maxi stays with him for a month, and she gets her millions. That's the basic conflict—“and I won't go on about plot because it's not really that hard to get. Of course it's really all about Maxi's daddy issues.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/TkoaZ6tRFKY[/you tube]

It's a sob story every other girl knows, and the real life drama of Mr. Concepcion and his daughter gives the movie some emotional push and sincerity. Perhaps life experience has given him something to work with because I honestly think Gabby has evolved into a better actor. (Plus he looks amazing. It's just not fair, is it?) Meanwhile, KC sounds eerily like her mom sometimes—“the same expressive slightly husky voice—“but registers on screen more like the young Gabby, without the vulnerability and emotional dexterity of Sharon in her twenties. Thankfully it seems that there's some shared angst between Gabby and KC to work with, so the father-daughter confrontation scenes are pure iyakan espesyal.

It was unfortunate that the cinematography was dreadful and the musical score was overkill, which nearly ruined it for me. I mean, with such good looking actors and nice locations (Gabby strolling on the beach, sigh!) wouldn't you want to see beautiful shots? And how much cheesy music do we need in the background? Not a lot.

Anyway. I've always been a Sharon-Gabby fan, and I'm still looking forward to their reunion movie. But in I'll Be There, Gabby Concepcion shows that he hasn't lost his leading man chops. I can't quite explain it but it just seems the magic is still there.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/eds5E88YCy0[/you tube]

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P.S. I almost forgot. Jericho Rosales plays the love interest in I'll Be There and for me the true bright spot in this movie. He was a total natural in the single dad/nice guy role necessary to combat and woo KC's angry girl. They had nice chemistry. I want to see more of him on film!

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Happy Father's Day!