A SECOND CHANCE (2015) Review
Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina
Updated after second viewing
Popoy is hot-headed, Basha is pushy, clearly not the best ingredients for a good marriage. A Second Chance relies more on what the characters can actually do to ruin their married lives, clearly they don’t know each other that much to actually be mindful of their decisions. The film is depressing and may be the formula for ending a marriage. Pushing the melodrama too far is the film’s best option for it to move forward. After all the wanting for a sequel, maybe leaving the first one alone is the best thing that will never happen.
We have inner Basha or inner Popoy in all of us, but we also learn and grow and change. Most of the audience probably wants to know what happens to the couple 8 years after, some are actually there because of the hype, some because of the actors. A Second Chance is well-acted, John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo have awards and a list of films to prove that. But the film might be forced and rushed. The demand for a sequel has been heard for years now, and for Star Cinema who is known for pleasing their fans answered their prayer. But maybe, more time was needed. The story doesn’t seem to have a solid grasp to its characters. Whenever it gets uninteresting, the film pushes melodramatic and loud scenes for the audience to absorb. Doesn’t work with some but to a usual Star Cinema film fanatic, it works.
These are characters that know each other too well but are both inconsiderate of each other’s presence in their lives. Secrets turned out to be not big of a deal in the end, that everything they’ve been going through doesn’t matter as long as they have each other. Regrets and chances, that how it started, that’s how it ended. Will we have another Popoy-Basha feud resulting to break-up? We surely hope not.
The film’s strength is its cast, its hard to pull off effective confrontation scenes that is measured not by the physical pain the characters throw at each other but by the words and how they are delivered. You mostly enjoy the little quietness the film has because of its loud and over repeated quarrels. But when you realize that these characters have been together for more than enough time to actually be sensitive with each other, you appreciate less of the drama it pushes to make the film emotionally meaningful.
2.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
“A Second Chance” is now showing in Philippine cinemas nationwide from Star Cinema. Rated PG-13 by the MTRCB.