Rating: 
Summary: the Debut makes a great debut
Review: I am a Filipino American and i personally enjoyed this DVD. It featured great actors including Dante Basco (& his brothers, the Basco brothers), Eddie Garcia, Tierso Cruz III, and many others. This film does show the world a little bit of the Filipino- American life and how many Filipinos are living. This film took 8 years to create and that 8 years produced a very creative movie. This is the first time Filipinos see themselves on the big screen and I think that they probably liked what they saw. The Debut does show how important education is to their culture. The Philippines being a third-world country and their major export humans, it is true that many believe that the only way to be successful is if they become a lawyer or a doctor. I don't blame them because it's a very difficult life in the Philippines, trust me. Ben Mercado, the main character, is in this position. His father wants Ben to go to medical school, but Ben wants to go to a Fine Arts Academy. I won't give out the rest of the story but all I have left to say is that "The Debut" gives the restof theworld a taste of the Filipino lifesytle and culture. *****fIvE sTarS!!*****2 thumbs-up
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie!
Review: I am African-American, but have many Filipino friends. Iwas very impressed by this movie. It had a little bit of everything for everyone. The movie was done with great class and good detail. Best of luck to all of the production crew and cast members for future projects. It would be nice to see sequel to this film. Maybe call it, "Debuted - All Grown Up! I would also like to see a PG or PG-13 movie by the same creators.
Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST movies I've seen
Review: I didn't know exactly how this movie was going to turn out, but I've read reviews from the West Coast and I was excited when I found out it was gonna play in my area. Aside from Dante Basco (and one of his brothers who is in some TV show), all the actors I've never heard of, though my parents have heard of Eddie Garcia (he's some acting legend in PI). This movie is a perfect example of how to get an incredibly moving and entertaining film without throwing in Hollywood A-list names. The film has a very positive message and can be enjoyed by everyone, not just Filipinos. I saw a whole bunch of other people in the theatre when I saw this, about a little less than half weren't Filipino. If this film is playing in your area, go see it before it moves to the next city!
Rating: 
Summary: I can't say it's the BEST movie...
Review: I liked this movie, but I can't say it is a great movie. Although I could relate to some of the themes presented in the story, some of the dialogue were not realistic and the acting is not the best (with the exception of Eddie Garcia, who did an excellent job). It is, however, well done for an independent film.Having reviewed comments by others on various sites, it seems that this movie is much more appealing to a younger crowd. I do recommend it to those who might be interested in watching this type of film, but I also have to recommend that the viewer not go in with high expectations. I met the director at one of the showings in Los Angeles and found him to be a very friendly, intelligent, and frank person. I think the film is a good first effort of its kind.
Rating:
Summary: We're not all that different....
Review: I recently watched The Debut with my Filipina daughter-in-law. She agreed that it is an accurate picture of life in a Philippino family and community. Our only criticism would be the ghetto language which has kept us from showing it to my half Philippino grandchildren. The harsh language was not necessary. But it is an excellent movie despite the few moments of crude talk. We did show my granddaughter the dance scenes. In fact we watched the traditional dance scenes about five times!
What is most pointed in the movie is that despite our ethnic backgrounds many things are the same within our family structures, our communication with each other and that even within the same culture there are wide differences such as between Ben (the good boy) and Augusto (the bad boy). I hope to see more movies like this. The Basco brothers were great in this movie and Dante Basco has come a long way from his Ruffio days in the movie Peter Pan.
Rating:
Summary: We're not all that different....
Review: I recently watched The Debut with my Filipina daughter-in-law. She agreed that it is an accurate picture of life in a Philippino family and community. Our only criticism would be the ghetto language which has kept us from showing it to my half Philippino grandchildren. The harsh language was not necessary. But it is an excellent movie despite the few moments of crude talk. We did show my granddaughter the dance scenes. In fact we watched the traditional dance scenes about five times!
What is most pointed in the movie is that despite our ethnic backgrounds many things are the same within our family structures, our communication with each other and that even within the same culture there are wide differences such as between Ben (the good boy) and Augusto (the bad boy). I hope to see more movies like this. The Basco brothers were great in this movie and Dante Basco has come a long way from his Ruffio days in the movie Peter Pan.
Rating:
Summary: Eye Opener
Review: I saw the Debut in the theatre. Surprisingly enough I WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE. Anyway, I really liked this movie. It showed how some the thoughts of a younger filipino that is growing up to his manhood. About being embarassed about your culture because you're afraid that your friends might laugh at you. When on the other side, they are actually proud that you are different and a breath of fresh air. When you stand back and look at the bigger picture, it is your own that is at times the one that is embarassed. Open your eyes, my filipino brothers and sisters...you might miss the big picture. Mabuhay and One Love.
Rating:
Summary: My new favorite flick
Review: I saw this movie on the reccomendation of one of my best friends and I loved it ! It's got a good plot, good actors, and amazing music. The plot not only applied to Filipino culture, but many children of immigrants, or even non-immigrants ! The sub-plots are well integrated, and the supporting characters can be more interesting than the main ones ! See this if you want to be both entertained and stimulated.
Rating:
Summary: Its about time Filipinos are represented!
Review: I've been visiting the Debut's official website for about a year now and I finally I was able to watch it on DVD (i live in Toronto and it never made it here on big screen). Was it worth the wait? Yes.
I enjoyed seeing Filipinos represented in a film that depicts a glimpse into Filipino-American life (and Canadian for that matter). Life imitates film and if there is no represenation of who you are on film, its quite hard to find what it is to be Filipino. This is a landmark film. Good job!
The so-so points... Somebody else wrote a review that I agree with. It seems like the film skimmed a lot of important issues but never really got deep into it. I loved the fact there was the native dance and singing (boy, that was great!), however scenes to establish the characters more would have been beneficial. A few more scenes such as the bathroom discussion between Ben and his father, or (what I believe to be the best scene) when the Lolo is scolding his son.. Great acting in that scene by great actors. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely enjoyed the movie and was very impressed. Good work and kudos to all that had a part in making this film a success. Lets do away with the Crab mentality and support Filipino talent in all areas. You with me?! Now I have a new crush.. Bernadette Balagtas ;)
Rating:
Summary: The Debut Coming to Video & DVD
Review: If you weren't able to see The Debut because they didn't visit your city, let me tell you, you surely missed out. I saw this movie about 2 years ago, and I loved it. I got to meet Gene and he was so thrilled that people were coming to watch it. If you're filipino, you'll definately appreciate the inside-humor, and even if you're not, you'll still have a great time watching it. I've been waiting for The Debut to come to DVD and it finally is! I think the only place it's available is from their website, ... It's scheduled to be released in September 2003, so keep checking!
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