MANILA, Philippines - A Viva Films/MVP Entertainment co-production, Trophy Wife initially comes to us like a deja vu reminder of the kind of domestic dramas Viva was known for, and excelled in, some 15, 20 years ago. But thanks to the energetic screenplay and muscular directing of Andoy Ranay, the film surprises and aims to give us something much darker and sinister, Filipino noir couched in a story of siblings, love and lust, with revenge thrown in for good measure.
If one approaches the film and its casting thinking this may be some retread of No Other Woman or A Secret Affair, be forewarned that there is something more ambitious in the storytelling and exposition of Trophy Wife. The production values see no compromise being made — other than the scenes which supposedly are taking place in the United States; and the polish and verve of the four main stars make the film eminently watchable. The film opens at the sprawling estate of the recently deceased industrialist father of siblings Samuel (John Estrada) and Chino (Derek Ramsay). While Sam is a dutiful son who has helped steer the course of the family business, Chino is a gallivanting playboy, who feels it’s too early to take life seriously, even on the occasion of his father’s death.
Chino meets Lani (Cristine Reyes) on one of his nights out, and despite her hailing from the wrong side of the tracks, a relationship develops between them. When a bar fight with a local mayor’s son forces Chino to make “palamig” in the US, a pregnant Lani loses her baby when she goes to Chino’s house in the hope of getting an explanation for his disappearance. To exact some measure of revenge, Lani reinvents herself and catches the eye of Sam, while a lonely Chino finds his much-missed Filipino food an opportunity to meet Gwen (Heart Evangelista) in the US. It is from this point that plot twists and shady motives flit in and out of the picture to our viewing delight, like they’ve encapsulated a whole season worth of teleserye storylines into one film.
There’s an energy in the storytelling that keeps us glued to the screen, and as I mentioned, the revenge drama and noir elements of cruelty, sadism and ulterior motives give the goings-on a sensuous, even kinky veneer. The trademark one-liners are still evident, though perhaps not as pronounced as in the previous films involving these stars. But I did wonder if the too linear narrative reduced the potential for higher drama and surprise, whether flashbacks could have been used to give the film a stronger noir perspective. I also didn’t know if there was unintentional humor in using the movie’s theme love song in a scene prefaced by evidence of torture and sadistic design on the body of Lani.
Finally, there is an ending that just seemed too neat — the required feel-good, happy ending? As it stands, the final resolution we are given is too sunny and Hollywood; yes, perhaps calculated for box-office potential.