One More Try, a review: Engaging but outrageous
During the pandemic, I have exhausted my list of Netflix series and movies to watch! So, I resorted to rewatching old Filipino film favorites that have iconic lines! Such movies include Four Sisters and A Wedding, One More Chance, How’s Of Us, and recently, One More Try.
Even though I have never watched One More Try, it was included in my list because I knew Angelica Panganiban’s famous line.
“Ang pera natin hindi basta’ basta nauubos. Pero ang pasensya ko, konting-konti na lang!”
I never knew the context behind that line, just the memes about it. So I got intrigued and decided to watch it with my Always Together movie buddies, Gen and Jeus!
With no idea about the plot, I decided to just dive in. The film starts off simple enough. Angel Locsin (Grace) and Dingdong Dantes (Edward) are shown on screen, being lovey-dovey in Baguio. It all starts out cute and innocent then cuts away to an intimate scene of their love-making.
After that, transitions are made. We see Dingdong Dantes lying in bed, not with Angel Locsin, but with Angelica Panganiban. Angelica, who plays the role of Jacq, Edward’s successful, beautiful, and loving wife. In this cutaway, we wonder what happened to Angel and Dingdong’s relationship. However, that is promptly answered in the next few scenes.
Grace, apparently, had a child with Edward (shocked Pikachu face). But she never contacted him for five years – that is, until now. She needs to find a donor for her son’s bone marrow surgery (Botchok). She has a boyfriend, Tristan, played by Zanjoe Marudo, who fully supports her decision to ask for help from Edward in Manila.
Anyways, it’s the usual. Reunion stuff, helping the kid, volunteering to be a donor, yadda, and all that.
However, the moment they find out that Edward isn’t a match for the kid, shiz goes down. And I don’t mean shiz as in just issues, but the plot and writing itself!
First off, I don’t understand how both parents aren’t a match for the kid. What is his type made out of? Some kind of unique DNA separate from his parents? Secondly, their consulting doctor for the kid, who, BY THE WAY, is a GYNECOLOGIST, is in no way professional. She is a friend of Grace who constantly insists on having Grace and Edward have sex with each other (WTF). According to her, producing a sibling for Botchok is the best way to find a viable donor (again, how rare is this kid’s type).
Thirdly, Grace claims to be desperate to cure her son but REFUSES to let Jacq and Edward treat him abroad. ABROAD – where there is better technology and no nosy doctors who are involved personally with their patients. She’s desperate, but it seems that her desperation only applies to the method that she wants: aka having sex with Edward. Sheeeeeeeeeesh.
The characters act like it’s all the end of the world and that Botchok’s life is on a ticking bomb. But seriously? Is the operation really THAT urgent? Choosing to have sex multiple times, conceiving a child for nine months, and then waiting for that baby to be old enough for surgery? Is that the ABSOLUTE fastest route? AGAIN, the characters are written as so dumb that it’s so far-fetched!
Furthermore, you’ll realize as you go along that men obviously wrote the screenplay for this film. The whole movie upholds patriarchal standards for women.
This is where you start to really get outraged, not just because of Grace seducing Edward or Tristan being a kinda rapist character. But because of the poor writing and misogynistic perspective of the entire plot.
In the film, we see Jacq getting mad at Edward for even considering having sex with Grace to save Botchok. Instead of understanding Jacq’s position, Edward proceeds to gaslight Jacq instead by blaming her for not fulfilling her duties as a wife to give him a child.
“I don’t need a perfect wife. I just want a happy family.”
KADIRI. That’s the utmost disgusting line I have ever heard, and I felt awful for Jacq, whose only purpose in Edward’s life was to give him a child. He blames her for working hard at her job and being successful to the point that she miscarriages.
Other anti-women scenes involve Grace being framed as mean and terrible to her boyfriend, Tristan. Tristan is your typical manipulative sad boy who almost rapes Grace and is violent with her! The film, however, insists that you sympathize with Tristan, for Grace is such a “whore.”
We also find out something about the first scene that we saw. Edward cheated on Jacq with Grace. Grace didn’t know Edward had a girlfriend at the time, but when she did, that was the reason why she didn’t contact Edward. SO MANY ISSUES.
Eventually, Grace conceives a child by going behind Jacq’s back and seducing Edward. He was more than happy to do his share of the job.
At the end of One More Try, I wanted retribution. After making me angry and on the edge of my seat the entire time, I wanted payback.
I expected Jacq to finally dump Edward’s cheating ass and for Grace to realize her worth.
BUT NO. Everyone forgives everyone, even if ABSOLUTELY NO GUY IN THE FILM EVER APOLOGIZES. Edward never apologizes to Jacq nor to Grace. He goes on about some second-chance BULLSHIT without even blatantly saying sorry! He stays with Jacq, and I would’ve wanted to see him remain with Jacq even without a child to serve as character development, but NO.
Jacq becomes pregnant, so yay, happy for Edward! YUCK. Overall it’s a really problematic plot, and I hate how the film portrayed women as weak, vile, and wrongful creatures.
The males in the film are never held accountable for their actions. It’s disgusting, and it shows how the script was really written against females.
The acting, of course, was on point, which is probably why I was so invested. The plot just really irks me. I hope that the writers, I am not gonna name them (two out of three of them are male), learn to write more progressively.
Films, in general, perpetuate and reflect our culture. I refuse to accept such a culture that allows men to get away scot-free and imposes patriarchic standards on women.
It’s time that we cleanse media from the kabit stereotypes and other sinful themes that we, as “Catholics,” seem to be fond of!
I recommend watching this movie, not because the writing is good, but the film itself is very engaging. If you want to be outraged for 1 hour and 42 minutes, be my guest. Watching the movie is not advisable if you are prone to high blood attacks because your rage levels will undoubtedly hit the roof. I know mine did. Do better, One More Try writers.
