Review: ‘A Very Good Girl’; Kathryn triumphs in sleek, stylish drama-thriller

Kathryn Bernardo proves she is more than an idol in A Very Good Girl, delivering one of the most commendable performances in recent local contemporary cinema.

She plays Philo, a motherless, self-made millionaire whose life mission is to exact revenge on Mother, a ruthless retail mogul played by Dolly de Leon.

Philo had always been a very good girl. But after being exposed to monsters like Mother, her worldview shifts, transforming her into a fashionably dressed monster ready to burn in hell for what she is about to do.

Bernardo, in visually striking ensembles and enviably flawless makeup, commands the screen with her brilliantly nuanced performance as a prey-turned-predator. Bernardo can, with no effort at all, switch from one emotion to another. From ruminative moments to emotional meltdowns, she is a force to be reckoned with.

Star Cinema sharply deviates from its rom-com brand and brings a refreshingly different offering in A Very Good Girl, directed by Petersen Vargas. It's sick, sleek and stylish, screaming that it's ready to break the mold of Philippine mainstream cinema.

The camerawork is a delight, skillfully framing details that enhance a scene's trepidation, tension and the consistent undercurrent of murderous rage, laced with a stirring film score.

In short, the post-pandemic Star Cinema is dressed to impress. And it succeeds.

But the issue is the substance. The content.

Vargas directs from a script by Marianne Mancol, Daniel Saniana and Jumbo Albano, which feels lazy and rushed. This is a revenge thriller so convoluted and focused on its outward appearance that it completely disregards facts in many ways.

Running for nearly two hours, the movie crams too many twisty details in a messy kind of way. Sure, you can easily follow the plot: Bernardo's Philo is out to get De Leon's Mother and bring her to hell with her. But the details matter — especially if you're going to use these details as a springboard for major plot points.

Spoilers ahead. Philo views Mother as a murderer, to the point that she squeezes out a confession from her so she can go to the police and finally avenge her mother's death, played by Angel Aquino in flashbacks. This is bewildering, considering Mother is not a murderer. So the motive to send Mother to jail for a nonexistent crime is very bizarre.

Also, Jake Ejercito's character plays a whistleblower who exposes Mother's money-laundering scheme — yet Mother manages to post bail for a non-bailable crime?

These important legal matters cannot be ignored because they are used as pivotal points to propel the plot. The script needs Mother to be out of jail, in a politically satirical neck brace and wheelchair; but, again, it is impossible to post bail for a money-laundering crime, unless the script is intentionally trying to expose the flawed justice system. If so, there has to be at least a line to justify this, but there is none.

The predictable script forcefully incorporates convenient elements just for the story to progress and achieve its desired melodrama, blood, gore and shock value, often at the expense of facts and logic.

De Leon's character is clearly going for a Miranda Priestly vibe, but with the actress' kind face and warm, soft-spoken voice, it is hard to be intimidated by her. You can dress her in haute couture, but this Mother looks and feels harmless.

However, in the third act, both Vargas and De Leon do manage to redeem the character and turn Mother into a very real threat.

Bernardo's Philo is unusual. She spends a long time plotting revenge, doing research but she forgets to research about the legal definition of murder and the fact that it is illegal to record private conversations.

She is often called "stupid" by her boss. Was it intentional to design Philo as vindictive but not so bright?

The film also has jarring tonal shifts that burden the already fragmented story.

You have got to give credit to A Very Good Girl for masking the weak, faulty script with its visual aplomb. It is bold, stylish and packed with awesome costumes and nifty camerawork, clearly attempting to elevate mainstream cinema, although with an echo of pretentiousness.

Shortlisted for the country's entry to the Oscars 2024, A Very Good Girl is fast-paced and entertaining, enhanced by Bernardo's unforgettable performance. But you cannot ignore the problematic storytelling.

Overall, it looks very good on the outside, but not so good on the inside.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Now showing in cinemas