Sharon Cuneta
Maricar
Family of Two (A Mother and Son Story)
“A Mother and Son Story”
2023
1h 41m
Director: Nuel Crisostomo Naval
Overview
The story of Maricar whose world revolves around her son, Mateo, who she raised singlehandedly. When Mateo is moving to Singapore to pursue his career ambition and his girlfriend, he devised a plan to find a good man who can look after her mother while he is gone. At first, this made Maricar furious but eventually she saw the pure intention of her son.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Quiet Rebellion of Letting Go
There’s a moment in Family of Two that I keep replaying in my head—not because it’s the most dramatic, but because it’s the most honest. Maricar (Sharon Cuneta) sits at the kitchen table, peeling garlic, while her son Mateo (Alden Richards) hovers behind her, trying to explain why he’s set up a dating profile for her. The camera lingers on her hands: steady, practiced, the kind of motion that’s been repeated a thousand times.
She doesn’t look at him. She doesn’t need to. The silence between them is louder than any argument could be.
It’s the sound of a mother realizing her child is no longer hers to hold.
This is a film about the quiet rebellions of parenthood—the moments when love becomes a cage, and letting go feels like betrayal. Director Nuel Crisostomo Naval, working from a script by Mel Mendoza-del Rosario, doesn’t reach for grand gestures or melodramatic confrontations. Instead, he trains his lens on the small, everyday fractures in a relationship that’s supposed to be unbreakable.
The result is a drama that feels achingly specific to Filipino family life, yet universal in its emotional core.
Naval’s approach is deceptively simple. The film unfolds in a series of vignettes, each one a snapshot of a mother and son navigating the push and pull of their bond. There’s no villain here, no external force tearing them apart.
The conflict is internal, a slow unraveling of the roles they’ve played for so long. Maricar isn’t just a mother; she’s a widow who built her life around her son, and Mateo isn’t just a son; he’s a young man trying to step into his own adulthood while carrying the guilt of leaving her behind. The film’s genius lies in how it refuses to judge either of them.
Instead, it asks: What does it mean to love someone enough to let them go?
The performances are where Family of Two truly soars. Cuneta, a legend of Philippine cinema, has always had a knack for playing women who are both strong and vulnerable, but here she dials it back to something even more raw. There’s a scene where Maricar attends a blind date set up by Mateo, and Cuneta doesn’t play it for laughs or tears.
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsSharon Cuneta and Alden Richards Reunite in Family of Two—A Mother-Son Drama with Heart and Hype
The Philippine film industry is buzzing over Family of Two (A Mother and Son Story), the 2023 drama directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval and starring two of the country’s biggest names: Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards. The movie, which centers on the complex bond between a mother and her son, marks another high-profile collaboration for the pair—this time stepping into more dramatic territory after their previous projects together.
A Star-Studded Reunion
Cuneta and Richards first shared the screen in the 2019 romantic drama Hello, Love, Goodbye, which became one of the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time. Their chemistry was undeniable, and fans have been eager for another on-screen pairing. Family of Two delivers just that, but with a shift in dynamic: this time, Richards plays Cuneta’s son, a role that promises to showcase their range beyond romance.
The supporting cast adds even more firepower, with Miles Ocampo, Jackie Lou Blanco, Tonton Gutierrez, and Pepe Herrera rounding out the ensemble. The film’s premise—a mother navigating life with her adult son—hints at emotional depth, but early reactions suggest it balances drama with moments of warmth and relatability 
.
Behind the Scenes: What We Know (and What We Don’t)
Details about the production remain scarce, but the pairing of Cuneta and Richards alone has fueled speculation. Both actors have built careers on their ability to connect with audiences, and their previous work together proved their box-office draw. However, unlike Hello, Love, Goodbye, which leaned into the glamour of overseas Filipino workers, Family of Two appears to focus on domestic struggles, a theme that could resonate deeply with local viewers.
Naval, the director, has kept a low profile in the press, leaving fans to wonder about the film’s tone and pacing. Will it lean into melodrama, or will it take a more understated approach? The lack of behind-the-scenes leaks suggests a tightly controlled production, which could mean surprises are in store .
Early Reactions and Expectations
As of now, Family of Two hasn’t generated the same level of pre-release hype as some of Cuneta and Richards’ past projects, but that could change as reviews trickle in. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film, but critical and audience scores remain unavailable, leaving its reception an open question . Given the cast’s track record, however, it’s likely to draw significant attention upon release.
One thing is certain: the mother-son angle offers a fresh dynamic for Cuneta and Richards, who have primarily been paired in romantic roles. If the film delivers on its emotional promise, it could solidify their status as one of Philippine cinema’s most compelling on-screen duos.
For now, fans will have to wait for more concrete reactions—but with this cast and premise, Family of Two is already one to watch.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.