Christopher De Leon: Mike	Dina Bonnevie: Marissa
Ricky Davao: Gerry	Cherry Pie Picache: Tere
Paolo Montalban: Raul	Randy Becker: Sam
Gloria Romero: Gerry's Mom	Directed by: Laurice Guillen

30 Second Bottom Line: A group of 40-something Filipino-American friends reunite at holidays and family events during the course of a year and uncover a few hidden truths about living and loving.

Story Line: Set in New York City, "American Adobo" revolves around five friends who have reached a crossroads in their hectic lives. Mike, a former political activist, is caught in a loveless marriage that causes him to question his materialistic lifestyle. Marissa, an ego-driven socialite, is brought down a few pegs by her boyfriend's perpetual infidelities. Raul, a suave womanizer, finds his world catapulted when he is infected with HIV. Gerry, a closeted gay man, is fraught with guilt about his homosexuality and tries to keep his secret life from his friends and mother. Tere, a down-to-earth single accountant, brings her frustrations with the dating scene to her kitchen where she creates magical meals.

The four meetings of this angst-ridden group form the skeletal structure of the film. From their opening reunion which introduces each character and their "problem," to the movie's final dinner gathering at Tere's apartment, "American Adobo" explores the characters as they move to a better understanding of their new country and themselves.

Tell Me More About It: The "adobo" in the film's title refers to the Philippines' national dish, a meat/vegetable preparation that is marinated in vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. Of course, it also implies the tension of the characters as they struggle to straddle two different cultures, while juggling the stresses of modern, big-city life. This food theme is certainly reinforced by the group's gatherings-always centered about some type of meal-sometimes an American barbecue or a Filipino dinner.

Despite the film's obvious good intentions, "American Adobo" comes across as a rehash of too many other films. Though the theme of the value of friendship is laudable, that lofty notion seems hackneyed and overdone here.

It does not help that the script is riddled with clichés in character development and dialogue. The tormented gay guy, the slightly pudgy single gal who's really fabulous, the obnoxiously shallow lothario, the egotistical career woman, the unhappily married man-this cross-section of personality types is almost insulting.

When one character actually says, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger," the formulaic gears really kick in and the whole movie goes on autopilot. A stronger script might have turned these expected stereotypes on their ear with a few original twists. As it is, "American Adobo" tastes like a hundred other casseroles.

Christopher DeLeon: "You Were Weighed and Found Wanting"	Dina Bonnevie: host of Philippino TV's "D!Day!"
Ricky Davao: "The Kite"	CherryPie Picache: "The Dream's Within Reach"
Paolo Montalban: "Cinderella" (American television version)	Randy Becker: "Love! Valour! Compassion!
Director Laurice Guillen: "Salome"