Film Review: No Other Woman

          Killing script. Relateable story. Hot actors. All-out drama. These are the ingredients comprising the movie, “No Other Woman”, making it click to the Filipino audience. Anne Curtis, needless to say, even promoted her movie by doing a chant with the madlang people in Showtime that goes like this at the end “….kiss me and don’t ever fall in love with me…No Other Woman (in a husky voice)…Showtiiime.” The whole studio just laughed after that. Following Curtis’ crazy antics, who wouldn’t?

            And how relateable can the film get.  As I was watching it in the big screen, I even heard a woman sitting behind us empathizing on the plight of Sharmaine (played by Cristine Reyes). Maybe because like the character, her husband or boyfriend is also having an affair with another woman. “Men like him (pointing to Derek Ramsay’s character, Ram) should really be crushed and trampled to death,” she bitterly said.

            I understood how he hated Derek’s role so much. With a mistress like Cara (played by Anne Curtis) persistently seducing your husband, you, the rightful wife, will absolutely fire up to the highest level. Curtis portrayed her role very well- stubborn, irritating, pushy, wicked. Her fearless eyes emanate greed and ambition the moment she looks at Cristine. Her pouty lips, sizzling voice, and suggestive body language were effectively executed to show how desperate she was to put Derek into her trap. I guess her acting prowess stood up from the rest of the actors in the film.

            I liked how Cristine did her job as the conservative housewife as her character diametrically oposed that of Anne. She wears fine Sunday dresses and she always carries a down-to-earth and timid facial expression. I loved how she pulls off her killer lines towards Anne. This added humor to very serious scenes.

            I also admire how Derek Ramsay showcased his mature acting ability in the film. It’s a good thing he proved he is not only equipped in taking off his shirt since he sure displayed the actor in him in this movie.

            “That’s impossible to happen in reality,” commented the woman at my back as the movie concluded. Bitter much? Maybe hers is not a happy ending. Maybe she has not yet forgiven the man who has hurt her. Or she could be right – that not all absurdities work out well in the end. But I guess, the film tells us this message: Forgiveness can change lives for the better if we only give it a try to courageously forgive.