Collette’s Review: Easter Sunday

I love stand-up comedy. Jo Koy happens to be one of my favorite comedians. But anytime a comedian stars in their own film, I’m skeptical. Will it be the same as their set? Will it be terrible? Will the jokes land? I’m happy to say Easter Sunday works.

Jo Koy plays Joe Valencia, A struggling comedian trying to make it big to take care of his son. When the whole family gathers for Easter Sunday, chaos ensues.

Some of my favorite movies center around holidays. Nothing is more hilarious than family problems surfacing at the dinner table. The film is filled with culturally specific jokes and a mostly Filipino cast; anyone from an ethnic background can relate and laugh out loud at the similarities.

Easter Sunday also has tons of unexpected and hilarious cameos. One is Tiffany Haddish, who steals the spotlight.

Bits of the story are far-fetched, but that’s to be expected in a comedy. There are many laugh-out-loud moments throughout the film. Though, sometimes it toes the line a little too much, becoming cheesy and overdone. I appreciated that there wasn’t any crude humor. Sure some jokes hit that PG-13 rating, but this is a comedy you can watch and enjoy with your family. Some jokes hit close to home, like the ones surrounding feuding aunties and religion. At times, it feels like a sitcom stretched into a movie, but maybe that’s what they were going for. Nevertheless, this feel-good family comedy is genuinely funny and, at times, heartwarming. The pacing could have been better, and the motivations could have been less cliche, but it’s a fun time. Catch Easter Sunday in theaters now.