Run Barbi Run is a 1995 Philippinecomedy film directed by Tony Y. Reyes. Joey de Leon reprises his role as the titular character and is joined by Maricel Laxa and Eraserheads. It is third installment of the Barbi trilogy, which started with Barbi: Maid in the Philippines in 1989 and the political satire comedy Barbi for President (First Lady na Rin) in 1991.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Bartolome del Rosario is a Shakey'spizza delivery boy who witnesses the massacre of the Black Scorpion Gang committed by a group of henchmen during a nighttime delivery. As a result, he is indefinitely suspended from his job and has to decide whether to turn state witness or hide forever. Ultimately, he decides to turn himself over to the authorities after his grandmother and mother appear in his dream. However, he is put on the death list of the henchmen's boss Gardo who is not pleased with his revelations. A conflict with the authorities over a supposed filmization of the massacre witnessed by Bartolome almost costs him his life after Gardo finds his whereabouts, forcing him to go into hiding. He finds himself in a bar that features gay impersonators and rock bands. Seeing an opportunity to escape from his pursuers, he disguises himself as Barbi, a gay impersonator of Barbra Streisand.
As Barbi, he is able to enjoy the life as an impersonator/DJ in the bar and becomes friends with the bar's in-house band, the Eraserheads, going as far as to save the band from music pirates copying the band's songs. But when he crossed paths with a policewoman named Victoria "Toyang" Fernandez, he reveals his true identity as the star witness of the massacre. As a result, he joins forces with Toyang and the Eraserheads to finally pin down Gardo.
Some of the actors that co-starred with Joey de Leon in the second Barbi film appear in Run Barbi Run in different roles. Noel Trinidad (who previously played the "presidentiable" Miguel San Pedro), Mely Tagasa (as the incumbent president's wife), Nanette Inventor (Madam "Auring" the fortune teller) and Lou Veloso (as the deranged presidentiable Domeng).
^Marchadesch, Barbara (July 3, 1997). "GMA's Cinemax offers blueprint for quality films". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 20. Retrieved March 11, 2022. The one-and-a-half-year-old company saw its first production, Run Barbie Run [sic], with Joey de Leon and the Eraserheads, flop dismally at the box office.
