The Daily Tribune
02/14/2008
My Best Friend’s Girlfriend (BFGF) is a movie about two sets of lovers. One is Evo (Richard Gutierrez), a babe magnet and rich, professional bum, and Akiko (Ehra Madrigal), an emerging socialite. Evo is the typical childish playboy easily distracted by women, much to the chagrin of Akiko, who for all her stature and curvaceous figure, has to perpetually ward off potential competitors and accept the immaturity of her lover.
The second pair is Grace (Marian Rivera) and Mark (JC De Vera). Theirs is an unusual relationship since De Vera is a young entrepreneur who goes back and forth to the US for business obligations, and Grace is alone caring for her ailing mother (Deborah Sun) and a mentally challenged brother Christian (Renzo), and is dead-set in finishing her masteral studies. She supports her family by working as a waitress in a sleazy restaurant-bar.
One day, her friend and co-worker (Chariz Solomon) asks if she can join in one of her gigs – as a dancer for a stag party. Grace is initially reluctant but acquiesces because she needs the additional amount to augment her income.
The stag party is for a bachelor who bids adieu to his single status with his posse, and among them is Evo. The shindig heats up with the arrival of the dancers. Grace comes out of the cake (She gets intoxicated to gain confidence) and dances but without the requisite oomph. She goes to Evo, thinking he is the groom, and he cajoles her for the uninspired number. Grace dances provocatively, and this leads Evo to kiss her. Grace feels violated, slaps Evo, demands for an apology and payment for their services, and, together with her friends, storms out of the motel.
Akiko learns of Evo’s latest caper and decides to leave him for good. He then seeks Mark, his best friend who just arrived from abroad, for counsel. He advises Evo to make Akiko jealous since this trick already worked previously. Evo’s problem is finding the “right” woman for the job. Mark requests Evo for company so that he meets his girlfriend, who feels a little insecure about their relationship since she has not met Mark’s parents.
Inside the bar, Evo discovers that his best friend’s girlfriend was the stag party’s star dancer. To Grace’s dismay, her boyfriend’s best friend was the man who treated her like a cheap prostitute. Evo uses the situation to his advantage and discusses with Grace a proposition. She will pretend to be his new girlfriend to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. Grace declines. He threatens Grace by telling the dancing incident to Mark. She finally agrees to Evo but with several conditions. She is going to be the “boss” and Evo must pay for her time.
The arrangement leads to a series of discoveries.
Their plan to make Akiko jealous works but one major conflict must be addressed – the realization that they are already in love with each other.
The review
BFGF reminds one of other movies specifically Pretty Woman (Evo being so affluent to buy Grace’s time) and My Best Friend’s Wedding (Ehra’s Akiko is the crème brulee while Marian’s Grace is obviously the Jell-o). But the comparison stops there as the movie, penned by Suzette Doctolero and directed by Mark Reyes, can stand on its own merits.
The biggest merit of BFGF is undoubtedly its lead stars – Richard Gutierrez and Marian Rivera. They have a chemistry that can be best described as infectious. They register beautifully on screen.
It is very refreshing to watch Richard displaying his comic side, which was in full display in the riotous elevator scene wherein he recites, “I love you” in various emotional stages.
Marian is the movie’s revelation. She is riotous in her funny scenes, and equally compelling in her dramatic moments. BFGF asserts one truth about Rivera: SHE IS A STAR WHO CAN ACT.
The supporting cast—specifically the agaw-eksena Chariz Solomon and Ehra Madrigal, who gives the contravida a glamorous makeover — is also a delight.
BFGF — with its fast-paced story complemented with humor, drama that leads you to tears, and the love of Evo and Grace that makes your heart bounce—is one movie that you would definitely watch repeatedly and in time would definitely earn its place as one of the best Valentine’s movies ever.
My Best Friend’s Girlfriend is currently showing in 100 theaters nationwide.
The second pair is Grace (Marian Rivera) and Mark (JC De Vera). Theirs is an unusual relationship since De Vera is a young entrepreneur who goes back and forth to the US for business obligations, and Grace is alone caring for her ailing mother (Deborah Sun) and a mentally challenged brother Christian (Renzo), and is dead-set in finishing her masteral studies. She supports her family by working as a waitress in a sleazy restaurant-bar.
One day, her friend and co-worker (Chariz Solomon) asks if she can join in one of her gigs – as a dancer for a stag party. Grace is initially reluctant but acquiesces because she needs the additional amount to augment her income.
The stag party is for a bachelor who bids adieu to his single status with his posse, and among them is Evo. The shindig heats up with the arrival of the dancers. Grace comes out of the cake (She gets intoxicated to gain confidence) and dances but without the requisite oomph. She goes to Evo, thinking he is the groom, and he cajoles her for the uninspired number. Grace dances provocatively, and this leads Evo to kiss her. Grace feels violated, slaps Evo, demands for an apology and payment for their services, and, together with her friends, storms out of the motel.
Akiko learns of Evo’s latest caper and decides to leave him for good. He then seeks Mark, his best friend who just arrived from abroad, for counsel. He advises Evo to make Akiko jealous since this trick already worked previously. Evo’s problem is finding the “right” woman for the job. Mark requests Evo for company so that he meets his girlfriend, who feels a little insecure about their relationship since she has not met Mark’s parents.
Inside the bar, Evo discovers that his best friend’s girlfriend was the stag party’s star dancer. To Grace’s dismay, her boyfriend’s best friend was the man who treated her like a cheap prostitute. Evo uses the situation to his advantage and discusses with Grace a proposition. She will pretend to be his new girlfriend to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. Grace declines. He threatens Grace by telling the dancing incident to Mark. She finally agrees to Evo but with several conditions. She is going to be the “boss” and Evo must pay for her time.
The arrangement leads to a series of discoveries.
Their plan to make Akiko jealous works but one major conflict must be addressed – the realization that they are already in love with each other.
The review
BFGF reminds one of other movies specifically Pretty Woman (Evo being so affluent to buy Grace’s time) and My Best Friend’s Wedding (Ehra’s Akiko is the crème brulee while Marian’s Grace is obviously the Jell-o). But the comparison stops there as the movie, penned by Suzette Doctolero and directed by Mark Reyes, can stand on its own merits.
The biggest merit of BFGF is undoubtedly its lead stars – Richard Gutierrez and Marian Rivera. They have a chemistry that can be best described as infectious. They register beautifully on screen.
It is very refreshing to watch Richard displaying his comic side, which was in full display in the riotous elevator scene wherein he recites, “I love you” in various emotional stages.
Marian is the movie’s revelation. She is riotous in her funny scenes, and equally compelling in her dramatic moments. BFGF asserts one truth about Rivera: SHE IS A STAR WHO CAN ACT.
The supporting cast—specifically the agaw-eksena Chariz Solomon and Ehra Madrigal, who gives the contravida a glamorous makeover — is also a delight.
BFGF — with its fast-paced story complemented with humor, drama that leads you to tears, and the love of Evo and Grace that makes your heart bounce—is one movie that you would definitely watch repeatedly and in time would definitely earn its place as one of the best Valentine’s movies ever.
My Best Friend’s Girlfriend is currently showing in 100 theaters nationwide.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/life/20080214lif5.html
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