Filipino-American standup comedian Jo Koy is given his biggest break in Hollywood with Easter Sunday. He plays Joe Valencia, a variation of himself, a standup based in Los Angeles waiting for his agent Nick (played by the movie's director Jay Chandrasekhai (Super Troopers))'s call for a sitcom. He has a son Junior (Brandon Wardell) from a previous relationship and despise him for not having enough time for him.
Joe got a call from his mother (Lydia Gaston) and asked him to go to his hometown up north in Daly City aka Little Manila to celebrate Easter Sunday with his family. He brings along his son and drives up north. Hilarity ensues.
Jo Koy brings in the usual stereotype Pinoys from the stage to the screen. Among them are the fighting sisters (Joe's mom and her sister, his Tita (Auntie) Theresa played with good comic timing by Tia Carrere. A mischievous cousin Eugene (Eugene Cordero) and his sister nurse (Elena Juatco). Tony nominee Eva Noblezada is also in the film in a cute role. Tiffany Haddish is also in the film as Joe's past fling.
Kudos to him for showing in the film on how Hollywood treats ethnic groups. Easter Sunday doesn't make fun of the Filipino accent, it celebrates it. Jo Koy will probably push the boundaries on most conservative Filipinos about Roman Catholicism in the movie. On the record, I wasn't offended at all.
As one who considers the San Francisco Bay Area as my home in the US, the movie is Jo Koy's love letter to it. Nothing but pure joy seeing the popular landmarks integrated in the film.
This is the first Hollywood big studio film about Filipinos. On the record, Christmas is still the most beloved holiday for Filipinos but if Jo Koy's is Easters then it's all good.
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