"How To Get Away From My Toxic Family" [2025]

Film

Zanjoe Marudo, Susan Africa

Sherry Lara, Richard Quan

Written by: John Bedia

Directed by: Lawrence Fajardo

KreativDen Enterprise, OgieD Productions

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RATING: ⭐⭐⭐.5 / 5

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NO SPOILERS

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INITIAL THOUGHTS:

To be honest, this was exactly what Vice Ganda’s “And the Breadwinner Is” supposed to be. Of course, you can’t really compare the two. While “How to Get Away from My Toxic Family” leans more on the family-drama side, Vice’s movie still has comedy elements despite being marketed as his first dramatic film.

Nevertheless, this film succeeds in its goal of mirroring the struggles of many OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) families. The lines and situations are highly relatable—some may even find them uncomfortably close to home.

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SYNOPSIS:

A hardworking OFW chef from Dubai returns home to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant and starting a new chapter in life. However, he is met with his family’s toxic tendencies, forcing him to ask: “Where does sacrifice end and selfishness begin?”

(Source: IMDb)

STORY:

When I heard people say this film had similarities to Vice’s recent MMFF entry, I was curious. But just a few minutes in, I couldn’t disagree.

The movie opens with Arsenio (Zanjoe Marudo) returning from Dubai, planning to marry his partner Helen (Kim Domingo) and open his dream restaurant. But the moment he arrives, he’s bombarded with problems caused by his own family.

Let’s be real, many Filipino families treat OFWs like ATMs. They assume it’s easy money just because someone works abroad, without realizing the immense sacrifices, long hours, and hardships that go into sending money home. What starts as a genuine intent to “help out” can easily turn into outright abuse, often justified by the term utang na loob (debt of gratitude).

The film captures this dynamic well, thanks to a mix of veteran and fresh actors. Admittedly, the first and second acts move slowly but not boring, it deliberately paced to keep things grounded. It avoids overly dramatic confrontations, opting instead for restrained tension. The problems faced by each family member are introduced one by one, giving Arsenio and the audience time to process them before they pile up into an overwhelming burden.

By the end, the director presents the story in a way that feels real and unembellished, without resorting to melodrama.

CHARACTERS:

Ogie Diaz, the producer, mentioned in an interview that they wanted to cast actors who looked believably related to each other. Given Zanjoe’s moreno complexion, I expected his on-screen family to match closely, though I personally didn’t quite see that resemblance—perhaps it’s more noticeable in the flashback scenes. That said, it didn’t affect my viewing experience. I also noticed that some background characters’ portrayals felt a bit calculated; I don’t necessarily take that against them, but it was noticeable enough for me to point out.

Zanjoe Marudo as Arsenio delivers a strong performance. While I’ve seen his work before, it was his role in Dirty Linen that really made me take his acting seriously, and here he proves again that he’s the right choice for the role.

Among the supporting cast, a few standouts:

• Susan Africa as the manipulative, gaslighting mother—she’s so convincing I actually wanted to throw my empty water bottle at the screen.

• Sherry Lara, a talented stage actress, nails the role of the nosy aunt with mannerisms that reminded me of relatives in real life.

• Richard Quan as Domingo, the older brother, and Lesley Lina as Mary Grace, the sister, give solid performances, though they felt one-note at times.

  
  

But the biggest surprise for me was Juharra Asayo as Jingjing. This kid delivered every line with surprising maturity, depth, and subtlety. You could feel her character’s quiet pain without the need for overacting—a truly impressive performance.

Overall, the cast is a good blend of seasoned actors and fresh faces. While the newer actors still have room to grow in emotional depth, they gave justice to their roles.

CINEMATOGRAPHY:

The cinematography was solid. I appreciated how the flashbacks avoided the cliché yellow tint and instead kept a natural feel. Some of the close-up shots of Arsenio were especially effective—framing him in the center with family members on both sides to visually convey how trapped he was. The same visual language appears in the airport scene toward the end, which I won’t spoil.

Symbolism was straightforward and clear—nothing too abstract, but effective in supporting the narrative.

TECHNICAL:

The production value was generally good, with certain scenes standing out—such as the fiesta sequence, which convincingly depicted a lively crowd without actually filming in an overly chaotic location. However, there were a few choices that slightly pulled me out of the experience. One was the decision to have Arsenio’s adult voice dub his younger self, which felt unnecessary and distracted from the emotional weight of the flashbacks. Another was the execution of the live social media video scene, where background comments flashed on screen; rather than adding realism, it came across as more distracting than immersive.

CONCLUSION:

How to Get Away from My Toxic Family achieves what it set out to do. Its relatable lines and grounded situations make it easy to connect with, even for viewers who aren’t OFWs. The ending might not be the one you expect, but it feels real, logical, and honest.

I highly recommend watching it—whether you’ve lived this experience or just want a heartfelt, unglamorous look at family dynamics that many Filipinos know all too well. And yes, there’s a twist at the end that caught me by surprise.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J106n_uxwo