Leonor Will Never Die (2022)
93%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: NA
Leonor Will Never Die is a cinematic masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of genre and storytelling. Martika Ramirez Escobar’s direction is a tour de force, weaving together elements of magical realism, action, and drama to create a film that is both deeply moving and wildly entertaining. Sheila Francisco’s performance as Leonor is nothing short of remarkable, capturing the character’s playful spirit and underlying grief with equal skill. The film’s score by Alyana Cabral and Pan De Coco is a work of genius, perfectly complementing the action on screen with its deadpan humor. In short, Leonor Will Never Die is a triumph of cinema that will leave audiences breathless and begging for more.
Leonor Will Never Die is the perfect blend of action, drama, and humor. It’s like if John Wick and Meryl Streep had a baby, and that baby was a badass Filipino grandma. The film pays homage to classic action movies while also telling a heartfelt story about loss and the power of storytelling. Sheila Francisco gives a standout performance as Leonor, and the supporting cast is equally impressive. The fight scenes are both thrilling and hilarious, and the score is so catchy you’ll be humming it for days. Overall, Leonor Will Never Die is a must-see for anyone who loves movies and wants to see something truly unique.
Production Company(ies)
DUST, Film/TV/Theater, Foreign Language
Distributor
Music Box Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
The Philippines
MPAA / Certificate
NR
Year of Release
2022
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 39m
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Language(s):English, Tagalog/ Filipino
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Country of origin:United States, The Philippines
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 25, 2022 Limited
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Leonor Will Never Die, Drama, Filipino, Martika Ramirez Escobar, Monster Jimenez, Mario Cornejo, Rocky Salumbides, Sheila Francisco, Bong Cabrera, Anthony Falcon, Allan Bautista, Rea Molina, screenplay, action films, imagination, reality, coma, movie, quest, revenge, thugs, ending, meta-limits, heroine, lost child, career, magical realism, low-budget, meta-action, genre-bending, love letter, cinema, box office, budget, reviewed by Simon Abrams, Jeannette Catsoulis, Marya E Gates, Amy Nicholson, Shirley Li, Nadir Samara, Erin Brady, Rob Aldam, Avi Offer, Will Mavity, Kristy Strouse
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $10,000,000
Production budget ranking: 1,618
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,385,000
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Sheila Francisco – Leonor Reyes
Bong Cabrera – Thug 1
Anthony Falcon – Thug 2
Allan Bautista – Thug 3
Rea Molina – Isabella
Director(s)
Martika Ramirez Escobar
Writer(s)
Martika Ramirez Escobar, Martika Ramirez Escobar
Producer(s)
Monster Jimenez, Mario Cornejo
Film Festivals
Sundance, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (24) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (1)
The ending feels like a capitulation to the meta-limits of Escobar’s story. Leonor says goodbye on her own terms, but it doesn’t feel like a meaningful conclusion to her work or her life, just another rote tribute to the magic of the movies.
November 23, 2022
Simon Abrams
TheWrap
TOP CRITIC
Defiantly gray-haired and wrapped in shapeless floral frocks, [Franciso] makes Leonor a touchingly adamant heroine, one whose playfulness masks her need to mourn her lost child and vanished career.
November 22, 2022
Jeannette Catsoulis
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Leonor Will Never Die establishes writer-director Martika Ramirez Escobar as an artist with a singular voice and bright future in halls of weird cinema.
February 23, 2022
Marya E. Gates
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
An affectionate sendup of cornball heroics. The punches whiff, the sound effects are clumsy, and the score by Alyana Cabral and Pan De Coco is deadpan hysterical. But Escobar is after something deeper than parody.
February 10, 2022 | Rating: B+
Amy Nicholson
Variety
TOP CRITIC
A delightful surprise; it’s inventive and original, with flourishes of magical realism.
January 28, 2022
Shirley Li
The Atlantic
TOP CRITIC
To say Leonor Will Never Die is making bold choices would be an understatement. The film is gorgeous, and the script is easily one of the year’s best. November 23, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Nadir Samara
Screen Rant
There is a lot to love about “Leonor Will Never Die,” from its faithfulness to the action film aesthetic to its core message honoring those whose words bring movies to life.
November 23, 2022 | Rating: 8.5/10
Erin Brady
Slashfilm
Leonor Will Never Die is a scrappy low-budget meta-action romp which, despite its flaws, is highly entertaining.
November 22, 2022
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia
An amusing, inspired and campy genre-bending delight. Sheila Francisco gives a heartfelt and lively performance.
November 21, 2022
Avi Offer
NYC Movie Guru
Everything about “Leonor Will Never Die” is bursting with energy. The whole movie is a mess of sorts, but it is a glorious, chaotic mess. And because of that, it is difficult to watch it without a smile.
October 12, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Will Mavity
Next Best Picture
It’s a moving story, and that’s what makes the moments of silly nostalgia feel sincere. A charming, love letter to cinema.
September 30, 2022
Kristy Strouse
Film Inquiry
If Leonor Will Not Die isn’t actually more than a sweetly thoughtful drama disguised as a lovingly recreated genre throwback, that’s perfectly fine.
September 17, 2022
Matt Lynch
In Review Online…
Plot
Leonor Reyes was once a major player in the Filipino film industry but now her household struggles to pay the bills. When she reads an advertisement looking for screenplays, Leonor begins tinkering with an unfinished script. While her imagination provides some escape from reality, she goes all-in after an accident involving a television knocks her out, sends her into a coma, and transports her inside the incomplete movie. Now Leonor can play out her wildest dreams firsthand and discover the perfect ending to her story.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels does not list any goofs for the film “Leonor Will Never Die.”
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