THE LOTTO WINNER

The Lotto Winner (2026)

Directed by: RC Delos Reyes

When winning the lottery is at stake, you’d normally expect extreme emotions—but that’s not the case here. Feelings are neither high nor low. Instead, they remain grounded.

No loud shouting, but there’s pain carried in silence. No intense fighting, but there are struggles within.

Kapag nag-uusap sila, akala mo wala itong pinapatunguhan. Ngunit nagagawan nila ng paraan upang magkaroon ng ugnayan ang mga bagay-bagay. Naitatawid nila ang sitwasyon ng magulang papunta sa anak. Maging sa lotto kung saan sumusugal ang tao ay lumulusot din sa kanilang usapan.

May mga linyang nakakagulat marinig mula sa kanila. Kahit masakit, derechahan nilang sinasabi. May ipinaglalaban ang mga karakter—na siyang aabangan kung hanggang saan nila ito kayang panindigan.

Kahit may kakulangan at kahinaan ang karakter ni Albert Martinez, ramdam pa rin ang kanyang pagiging ama. You can feel the weight of his experience as a parent through the way he speaks. His natural performance brings authenticity and emotional depth to the scenes.

Kylie Padilla delivers her lines with subtlety. What may initially seem like almost nothing gradually unfolds into something moving. Her restrained acting gives the scenes quiet intensity, allowing emotions to surface naturally rather than forcefully. You can also sense how her life being a mother translates seamlessly into her performance.

The film’s simple presentation has its merits, as it avoids being overly done. However, the minimalist execution becomes monotonous—to the point that it turns into a boring watch. Pivotal moments become regular ones.

With a total runtime of two hours, the first half drags significantly and fails to effectively establish the tone for the more interesting second half. Most of it could be removed without harming the story.

Despite the lengthy duration, supporting scenes are still lacking. Supposed practice sessions and bonding moments are missing. The child’s upbringing is not well established. To highlight the relationship between the father and daughter, safety protocols are disregarded.

The film is also weak in connecting past events to the present timeline. Much of the exposition is delivered through extended dialogue. Nonetheless, the explanations do not come across as awkward due to the heartfelt performances.

Bagamat talo sila pagdating sa ilang mga bagay, hindi sila nabigo sa paghatid ng mga emosyon at leksyon. Ang damdamin ng mga karakter ang siyang nagpanalo sa pelikulang ito.

Higit pa sa panalong hatid ng lotto, ang winning attitude sa buhay ay siya ring namuro.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑

Cast: Albert Martinez, Sienna Stevens, and Kylie Padilla

with: Robert Seña, Daniela Stranner, Karina Bautista, and Milo Elmido

Written by: Tin Badillo-Novicio

Presented by: MAVX Productions, Inc.

Release Date: February 18, 2026 in cinemas nationwide

A Movie Review by: Goldwin Reviews