The original quote “Laugh and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone” is found in Ella Wheeler’s 1863 poem Solitude.
This quote rings true, especially this time of the pandemic. Laughter has indeed become the most important medicine for all as we continue to survive the longest quarantine season on this side of the planet.
Case in point, I chanced upon the trailer of Ayuda Babes, and believe me, it will surely provide everyone that some kind of wonderful bellyache due to rip-roaring laughter.
From Saranggola Media Productions Inc., the short movie clip alone says so much. One can conclude that this motion picture offering is one part black comedy, one part comedy of errors, peppered with bits and pieces of parody and a good sprinkling of satire.
Black comedy is defined as a film that deals with a distressing or tragic subject matter in a humorous way. Because it pokes fun on the great equalizer that is the pandemic, that is the black comedy component for you.
With a cast composed up of standup comedians, comedy bar hosts, concert performers, singers, vloggers, a best actress winner, and a seasoned character actor, parodies are more than expected from the movie.
Some parts of this comedy used irony and exaggeration to expose the people’s eccentricities, peculiarities, or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. The satirical components of the movie are indeed crystal.
Ayuda Babes stars seasoned character actor and newly minted TikTok King Gardo Verzosa, theater stalwart Joey Paras, Cinema One Best Actress for Mamu Is A Mother Too Iyah Mina, It’s Showtime Miss Q and A First Season Queen, Juliana Porizcova Segovia, comedy bar hosts, performers and vloggers Negi, Brenda Mage, Petite Brockovich, Berni Batin, and the Original Mash Up Queen Ate Gay.
Other cast members include Bubble Gum Pop Princess and YouTuber Christi Fider (singer of “Teka, Teka, Teka”), Hashtag hunk Zeus Collins, Bidaman Dan Delgado, with the special participation of actor and heartthrob Marlo Mortel, and Marc Logan.
Director Joven Tan said in an official press release: “Aside from its entertainment value and making people feel good and laugh, this movie is my modest tribute to the courage, tenacity, never say die and the survivor that is in every Filipino who by the grace of God, always faces every crisis head on and manages to rise above it, even laugh about it. The quarantine that we are all and the pandemic brought about by the COVID-19 is a year old and yes we all experienced periods of anxiety and even depression, but we still count our blessings, thankful for what we have, and smile. We take things seriously but we still manage to enjoy our lives, our family, and this is what the movie highlights and presented in the funniest of situations.”