A comedy requires great comedic timing and a story that sticks to its main premise without derailing. In Jo Koy’s transition from stand-up comedian to film star, Easter Sunday proves to be an underwhelming project for him and fails the entire cast and the narrative it's trying to tell. The comedy is simply trying to do too much. Its story is simple in nature, but when it throws in a subplot involving debt and a laughable loan shark who desperately wants his money, Easter Sunday becomes a contrived mess that deviates from every element that could have made this film so much more than it is.
Jo Valencia (Koy) is a struggling actor. Known best for a beer commercial, Jo is on the cusp of landing a co-leading role in a new sitcom, but studio executives won’t hire him unless he agrees to do a fake Filipino accent (to which he argues he already has one and refuses to do it). In his personal life, Jo has a somewhat strained relationship with his son Junior (Brandon Wardell), who is frustrated that his dad never seems to have enough time for him. When Easter Sunday weekend rolls around, Jo and Junior head north to Daly City to spend the holiday with Jo’s family, including mother Susan (Lydia Gaston), who’s in a fight with her sister (Tia Carrere), and cousin Eugene (Eugene Cordero), who owes Dev Deluxe (Asif Ali) a lot of money.
When it comes to all the family and cultural aspects of the film, Easter Sunday works. The script is filled with humor, especially in moments when Jo is interacting with his mother and other family members. They bicker, laugh, discuss family issues, and eat. It’s a joy to watch them. In such scenes, one can’t help but feel the warmth that exudes from the screen. So it’s unfortunate to say that these elements of the film are where the fun ends. The film tries too hard to elevate itself beyond a simple comedy about family. The subplot involving Eugene and his debt is wholly unnecessary in a film that could have used a lot more focus on the family dynamics. Susan’s fight with her sister is vague and it’s easy to see the ideas attached to each of these storylines that ultimately fall completely flat in execution.
What the film lacks is moments with real heart. In its attempts to include so many storylines, the characters end up lacking in depth. Poorly drawn characterizations and not nearly enough scenes exploring Jo’s relationship with each of his family members turn Easter Sunday into a tedious watch, one that is only somewhat alleviated by Koy’s charm. There is so much potential lost here. Movies of late can’t seem to stop throwing in a bit of violence or brief action scenes in a bid to add excitement to a film that, quite often, doesn’t need it. Director Jay Chandrasekhar, working from a screenplay by Ken Cheng and Kate Angelo, could have scrapped Eugene’s entire story to build tension and conflict elsewhere and Easter Sunday would have been all the better for it.
All told, the comedy doesn't feel like it's fully about family, which diminishes and undermines the interesting premise and characters. The story is half-baked, as though the filmmakers were throwing ideas at the wall to see what would stick, and the humor fails to impress or leave a lasting mark on its audience. Easter Sunday starts off well enough before getting off track completely, too preoccupied with aspects of the story that aren't good and don’t matter, sacrificing its characters and their relationships with each other as a result.
Easter Sunday released in theaters August 5, 2022. The film is 96 minutes long and is rated PG-13.