TV advertising director Yam Laranas makes his debut on the silver screen in Balahibong Pusa where Sarah (Joyce Jimenez) is the daughter of widowed Vivian (Elizabeth Oropesa). Back from a summer vacation, Sarah finds her mom living with Michael (Julio Diaz), a car-repair shop owner who promised to marry Vivian. Unknown to mother and daughter, Michael begins to have other plans for the young Sarah. Meanwhile, Michael's daughter Becky (Rica Peralejo) is having an affair with one of his mechanics, Eric (Jay Manalo), who is also Sarah's boyfriend. This web of relationships gets more entangled as expected.
Cinematographer Laranas captures reality through the camera in a skillful and artistic way. Unfortunately, his directorial success in 30-second commercials and short films (Best Short Film, Film Academy of the Philippines and Best Experimental Video, World Video Mondial in Brussels) is no guarantee for a well-made full-length movie. There is nothing original in the story. The screenplay, which Laranas is said to have finished in a weekend, is full of plot holes and silly dialogue, as can be expected from a rush job. The characters are not well developed and the performance of the cast is very poor. Laranas fails in his desire to prove that Joyce Jimenez can act, and is unable to handle more capable actors like Oropesa and Diaz. No amount of production design and technique in the lighting, music and effects can make up for good acting. There are some stray shots and unnecessarily prolonged scenes.