IT?S HARD to imagine Judy Ann Santos and Sarah Geronimo playing sisters. But, the lead actresses of Wenn Deramas? ?Hating Kapatid? imbue their sisterly screen affiliation with a believability that makes it easier for moviegoers to let this casting wrinkle slide:

Rica Salvador (Santos) was only 13 when her parents (Tonton Gutierrez, Cherry Pie Picache) decided to seek greener pastures in Libya, for a two-year stint that stretches on for two decades, leaving Rica and her younger sister, Cecilia (Geronimo), in the care of their firecracker-peddling grandmother, Amor (Gina Pareño).

After Cecil is hurt in an accident, the guilt-ridden Rica decides to swear off boys and breaks up with her loving boyfriend, Bong (JC de Vera), to devote her life to taking care of her kid sister?a decision that turns her into a stern and mirthless spinster who will stop at nothing to make sure that Cecil?s romantic interest, the clumsy and bumbling Edsel (Luis Manzano), doesn?t ever get to first base!

Things take a turn for the worse when the siblings? parents finally come home, making Rica suddenly feel useless, left out and underappreciated for her sacrifices. How does Cecil make her jealous ate realize that she?s all grown up and is now more than ready to hurdle life?s challenges on her own?

Dialogue

Out-of-sync dialogue and color-grading missteps notwithstanding, there?s more to ?Hating Kapatid? than the usual verbal and sight gags we?re inured to watching in local comedies.

True, the premise of Deramas? latest rib-tickler isn?t all that original, but it?s buoyed up by a comedic sensibility that doesn?t rely on overeager actors? vein-popping antics to draw belly laughs from the peanut gallery.

Instead, it derives its humor from the situations the characters find themselves entangled in, so the eventual comic payoff feels unforced.

The movie is a welcome change of pace for Santos and Geronimo, who get to do light comedy with a smattering of drama. The latter is well-cast in a role that doesn?t require her to do much, and plays it by the numbers.

But, the production?s top acting grade belongs to Santos, who accomplishes a difficult feat?she makes her ?ogre? character likable and empathetic. She switches from drama to comedy with equal ease and never resorts to many comediennes? pakwela shtick. Instructively, she?s a thespic sight to behold in her flirtatious, kilig moments with De Vera, which she executes with subtlety and panache.

Mistaken identity

Manzano finally gets rid of his TV-host posturing. He figures in a rip-roaring scene with Geronimo as the latter pursues him all over the metropolis to apologize for a case of mistaken identity. And, De Vera is an able and dashing consort.

Unfortunately, ?Hating Kapatid? has a major drawback that distracts from its winning elements: Shameless plugs and neverending product placements, some of them with their respective taglines?pawnshops, sanitary napkins, fast-food chains, video shops, cell-phone networks, karaoke and milk products?etc!

At some point, a disapproving moviegoer behind us sang a product?s jingle just to demonstrate that too much of anything is a turnoff.