Every family has problems, be they financial, emotional or in some cases, sexual. The Pineda family is no exception.

Headed by Nanay Flor (Gina Pareño), the family owns and operates a movie theater, called Family, in the Filipino city of Angeles. Due to financial problems, the family has also taken residence in the multi-story building. A place that might have been prestigious and suitable in the past now shows cheap porno and is reduced to a meeting place for those looking for some action, mainly service boys and their gay patrons.

Directed by Brillante Ma Mendoza, Serbis, which evidently is the Filipino pronunciation of service in English, follows a day in life of the characters as they each struggle with their own problems and insecurities while operating the theater. Here, as with any other films directed by Mendoza (Masahista, Kaleldo, Monoro and Tirador), the camera follows each character as they walk around the building, so much, that by the end of the movie the viewers have a good idea about the layout of the theater; a detail that, according to the director, is essential in interpreting the many facets of the characters.

Jaclyn Jose, Coco Martin, Kristofer King and Roxanne Jordan also star.

Grade: D



Serbis releases in select theaters Jan. 30.