Kape Barako

Rico owns the struggling coffee shop Kape Barako. The shop only has one regular customer, aside from a lady who orders nothing but ice water and leeches off their Internet connection. As a result, Rico is having trouble paying off his mortgage. He now has just two weeks to raise 120,000 pesos to keep the bank from foreclosing on the property. He tries a variety of things to raise the cash, even going as far as considering selling his body. Luckily, one of his baristas Jek accidentally stumbles on a solution to the shop’s problems. A prank goes wrong and a special ingredient ends up making their coffee a real hit among a certain section of their clientele.

Directed by Monti Parungao, Kape Barako leans on a strong ensemble — Johnron Tañada, Frederick Peralta, Afi Africa — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 2011.