Beauty and the Bestie is a 2015 Filipino action comedy film directed by Wenn V. Deramas, starring Vice Ganda and Coco Martin, alongside James Reid and Nadine Lustre. It is an official entry to the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival.
It was produced by ABS-CBN Film Productions and Viva Films and was released nationwide under the banner of Star Cinema. It was also released overseas in cities that have a significant Filipino population. It is the seventh highest-grossing Filipino film of all time, as of 2023. This is Wenn V. Deramas' last film before his death on February 29, 2016, and last film as a co-production between Star Cinema and Viva Films in preparation for the co-production between TV5 and Viva until it was terminated in June 2016 before the release of Finally Found Someone on July 26, 2017, Gandarrapiddo!: The Revenger Squad and Ang Panday on December 25, 2017.
Plot[]
Erika is struggling to make money running a photography studio to support her family. The problem is exacerbated when her nephew is diagnosed with a rare condition that may lead to blindness. One day, her former best friend Emman suddenly shows up. Emman works for the Elite Super Secret Task Force, a spy agency tasked with the security of an upcoming beauty pageant. Erika happens to look exactly like Ms. Uzeklovakia, who was abducted by terrorists led by a Japanese Yakuza named Daemon Yu and their Korean right-hand man, Jin Jhong.
Emman asks Erika to pretend to be Ms. Uzeklovakia while the agency searches for the real deal. Erika is still resentful from the way she fell out with Emman and takes on the task in exchange for help caring for her family. Aside from all this, Erika's younger sister Abi and Emman's half-brother Tristan meet and end up falling in love. Erika must deal with their feelings for their former best friend while fending off terrorists and dealing with their worry about Abi's budding romance.
Before the Q&A portion of the coronation night, Erika encounters the real Ms. Uzeklovakia after she manages to escape from her kidnappers. She is disgusted by their scent until she is intercepted by Emman and their friends in order to secure her from the terrorists. With that Erika continues to pose as Ms. Uzeklovakia until she wins the pageant. They are soon interrupted by the terrorists who try to kill Erika and Daemon manages to kidnap them aboard a helicopter thinking they are Ms. Uzeklovakia. Emman eventually intercepts the helicopter. As Erika and Daemon fight, Emman manages to finally kill Daemon in time as Erika falls onto the ledge of the helicopter. Erika takes Emman's hand and finally reconciles until he drops Erika's hand and falls into the ocean which Emman follows.
Emman does CPR on Erika after rescuing her and soon reunites with her family. After the incident, the father of Ms. Uzeklovakia, the Uzeklovakian prime minister thanked Emman and Erika for saving his daughter.
The movie ends where both Emman and Erika are eating fishballs from a vendor when both sense their shades were detonators, which explodes as they head to their next mission.
Cast and Characters[]
Main cast[]
- Vice Ganda as Eric "Erika" Villavicencio / Natalia Thalia Nutreila
- Coco Martin as Emman Castillo
Supporting cast[]
[edit]
- James Reid as Tristan Adams
- Nadine Lustre as Abi Villavicencio
- Marco Masa as Jimbo Villavicencio
- Alonzo Muhlach as Jumbo Villavicencio
- Karla Estrada as Barbara "Ms. Barney" Clooney
- Lassy Marquez as Jude
- MC Calaquian as Stef
- Badjie Mortiz as George
- Jacky Woo as Daemon Yu
- Ryan Bang as Jin Jhong
- Tetchie Agbayani as Coney
- Boom Labrusca as Joseph
- Ron Morales as Rob
- Tess Antonio as Riff
- Menggie Cobarrubias as Eddie
- Chrome Cosio as Jake
- Jelson Bay as Chief Ben
- Valerie Concepcion as Editha "Edith" Villavicencio
Additional cast[]
[edit]
- Jay-R as himself/host
- Karen Reyes as Nurse
- Raikko Mateo as Angelo
- Phoemela Baranda as herself/host
- Wendell Ramos as Jojo
- Miguel Faustmann as PM Thor
- Wilma Doesnt as Ms. Upanghet
- Bea Santiago as Ms. Philippines
- Randy See as Dr. Kenneth Sy
- Divine Tetay as Interpreter / Kris Aquino Impersonator
- Ahron Villena as the Fishball Vendor