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The Debut

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The Debut (2000)

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Reviews Counted:23

Fresh:17

Rotten:6

Average Rating:6.3/10

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 88 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:May 18, 2000 Limited

Box Office: $1,533,516

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... 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, Rose, sets off a comedic and touching series of events and family struggles that will in turn determine young Ben's future. This fresh independent production from Gene Cajayon presents a lighthearted and warm coming-of-age tale filtered through the eyes of an American subculture rarely seen on film. [More]

Starring: Dante Basco, Eddie Garcia, Tirso Cruz III, Gina Alajar

Starring: Dante Basco, Eddie Garcia, Tirso Cruz III, Gina Alajar, Dion Basco

Director: Gene Cajayon

Director: Gene Cajayon
Screenwriter: Gene Cajayon, John Manal Castro

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Sep 9, 2003

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for The Debut

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/05/08
Dennis Harvey
Dennis Harvey
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
06/03/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

No review available.

comment Comment
10/07/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Houston Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
10/17/03
Oliver Wang
Oliver Wang
PopMatters

The Joy Luck Club did the "white people are ignorant" story with less obviousness

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
08/15/03
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: BlackFilm.com | comment Comment
05/13/03
Wilson Morales
Wilson Morales
BlackFilm.com

Director Gene Cajayon, with co-writer John Manal Castro and a charming cast, continually subverts expectations.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
11/15/02
Chuck Wilson
Chuck Wilson
L.A. Weekly

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.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
11/15/02
Frank Scheck
Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

That it feels so predictable is, ironically, a tribute to the universality of the experience it explores.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/18/02
Maitland McDonagh
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide's Movie Guide

An earnest and predictable little indie.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
10/18/02
Lou Lumenick
Lou Lumenick
New York Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
10/17/02
Lawrence Van Gelder
Lawrence Van Gelder
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film has a sweet low-budget quality that sometimes slips into TV-movie schmaltz.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
10/15/02
Laura Sinagra
Laura Sinagra
Village Voice
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Predictable but heartfelt, and valuable in that it is one of the first Filipino-American productions.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
10/10/02
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

For all its familiarity, The Debut (an unfortunately bland and vague title) is a film from the heart...

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
08/16/02
Sean Axmaker
Sean Axmaker
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Celebrates community and family, and does so in such a warm-hearted way that its formulaic nature is easily forgiven.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
08/16/02
Moira MacDonald
Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times

Familiar in its story arc, but fresh in its energy and lucky in its choice of actors.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
03/22/02
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A delightful coming-of-age film that becomes universal by way of its subject matter.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
03/21/02
Kevin M. Williams
Kevin M. Williams
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A creakily familiar take on an age-old family dynamic.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
02/08/02
Michael O'Sullivan
Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
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