A Second Chance is a 2015 Filipino romantic drama film directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina. It stars John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. The film follows One More Chance, a 2007 movie also directed by Garcia-Molina.
The movie was very successful at the movies, making ₱43 million on the first day it was shown. It received mostly good reviews from critics and audiences. By its fourth week, the film earned more than ₱556 million worldwide. This made it the highest-grossing Filipino film until The Super Parental Guardians was released in 2016.
The film was nominated for 14 FAMAS Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Garcia-Molina), Best Actor (Cruz), and Best Actress (Alonzo). However, it did not win any awards in those categories.
Synopsis
In the story "One More Chance," Popoy and Basha continue their love story by walking down the aisle and making promises to love each other "forever" and "ever." In "A Second Chance," the story shows the challenges of their married life. Popoy faces difficulties in keeping his business successful and maintaining his self-respect. Basha has sacrificed many things in her life to help keep their marriage strong.
Release
"A Second Chance" was released in the Philippines on November 25, 2015. The film was first shown in major European cities starting on December 5, 2015.
Star Cinema shared ads and posters online to promote the film. On August 17, 2015, the studio released a short preview of the film. This was followed by a first theatrical preview on November 2, 2015, and a longer preview on November 14, 2015.
Star Cinema announced that the film would be released in Europe starting on December 5, 2015. This came after ABS-CBN president and CEO Charo Santos-Concio said during the iEmmys in New York City that the Kapamilya network and its international channel, The Filipino Channel (TFC), would soon show more Filipino films in European theaters. "A Second Chance" was shown in Vue Cinemas in the United Kingdom and in major theaters in Milan, Rome, Messina, Padova, Paris, Madrid, and Vienna starting on December 5 and 6, 2015. The film was also shown in Singapore from December 12 to 13, 2015.
Reception
The film made a lot of money on its first day, earning ₱43.3 million from more than 250 theaters across the country. According to Philippine box office records, it beat the previous record of ₱32 million set by the 2015 romantic comedy film Crazy Beautiful You. By November 27, 2015, the film had earned ₱100 million. On November 29, 2015, it reached ₱200 million. Major theaters added more midnight showings because many people wanted to watch it in the evening.
By November 30, 2015, the film had earned ₱300 million, just six days after its release in the Philippines. After 10 days, it passed the ₱400 million mark. More than four weeks after its release, Star Cinema reported that the film had earned over ₱556,000,000 worldwide, making it the first Filipino film to reach the ₱500 million mark.
The film received mostly positive reviews. Francis Joseph Cruz of Rappler.com wrote, "The film shows honesty in a realistic way, focusing on the lives of middle-class couples and their challenges." Philberty Dy of ClickTheCity gave the film a 4 out of 5 rating, saying, "It delivers emotional moments that are hard to ignore, despite some flaws." Atty. Ferdinand Topacio of Fashionpulis.com praised the film, stating, "It is intelligent and entertaining, with strong direction, editing, and writing. The acting by John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo is excellent."
Irish Eden Belleza of Gulf News in Dubai noted that the film focused heavily on the two main actors, who appeared in most scenes. She suggested the film could have developed the characters more deeply. However, she also said, "For people in difficult relationships looking for hope, this is a feel-good movie worth watching."