For The First Time (2008)

Pinagtilian ng mga intrigero't intrigera, panatiko, ususero at iba pang lipon ng mundo ng showbiz, ang tambalang KC at Richard sa pelikulang For The First Time (2008) ni Joyce Bernal. Sa ilang mga kadahilanan, mga bigating artista ng magkaribal na istasyon sa bansa, na si Richard Gutierrez (The Promise (2007)) ng GMA-7 at KC Concepcion, anak ng premyadong aktres na si Sharon Cuneta (Bukas Luluhod Ang Mga Tala (1984)) mula sa bakod ng ABS-CBN. Ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon ni KC na pagbidahan ang isang malaking produksyon. Masusing pinagmamasdan ang bawat galaw ng dalawa kung sakaling sila ay magkatuluyan, at kung matatapatan ba ni KC sa lalim ng pag-arte and kanyang ina. Showbiz na showbiz di ba? Sa kawalan ng ibang mapapanuod nung panahong iyon, at dahil mag-eexpire na ang aking libreng tiket (na aking natamo mula sa isang paligsahan), ako'y napapasok sa isang pagpapalabas ng pelikulang tampok.

Coming from Joyce Bernal, i've expected more from her, with her delicate on screen command of her other rom-coms films. Yet, no amount of beauty can save this production. The story itself is nothing out of the ordinary. So much for its title, For The First Time. Yes, it does boast the beauty of its locale, Santorini, Greece. Yes, the cast are beautiful people. Yes, story does appeal to the hob-snob wealthy crowd, gearing towards social graces and the ability to spend wands of cash, not just your typical story of an OFW (overseas Filipino worker) in a strange country. I just have this inkling that we've seen it before and executed better. Nothing exceptional that can truly stand as its title. Nothing we've seen for the first time.

As for KC's acting I'll just leave it as it is, just watch the trailer. Both of them look good together, but that is it. You can't really feel any connection. Girl hates guy, promises never to mingle with guy for being a player, guy then asks girl. So they've spent a day together eating ice cream and swimming in the Aegean sea, and that's it, they're a couple! Guy, then leaves girl hanging, then tries to win her back. In my lonesome presence, had more fun watching the couples cuddling up that watching this pompous film that no one could ever love except those infinite admirers of its stars.