very good girl movie review

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Review: “a very good girl” tells predictable but compelling revenge story set in an unjust world.

Philippine actress Kathryn Bernardo departs from romantic dramas to star alongside Dolly de Leon in "A Very Good Girl", a revenge drama that's familiar yet satisfying.

By JM Sarmiento , 5 Jan 24 18:53 GMT

A Very Good Girl marks acclaimed Filipina actress Kathryn Bernardo’s return to feature films after her role in 2019’s blockbuster Hello, Love, Goodbye . The film sees Bernardo paired in a surprising but welcome occurrence with Dolly de Leon, best known to international audiences for her role in A Triangle of Sadness . Bernardo and De Leon respectively star as a woman named Philo who plots revenge against a retail mogul named Molly, whom Philo blames for a series of unfortunate events in her life.

Revenge is best served when it’s predictable

A Very Good Girl is just one of many revenge-driven stories in Philippine media. Such narratives occur with such regularity on Philippine television that regular viewers can usually predict where the revenge story is headed. A Very Good Girl still plays the usual cat-and-mouse game of Philippine revenge stories. However, its two hour runtime condenses the formula into a much less exhausting and more palatable form.

Given high inequality and frequent social injustice , it’s no surprise that narratives about seeking justice in an unjust world are popular in the Philippines. A Very Good Girl seems quite aware of this fact, acknowledging the David and Goliath battle that normal Filipinos go through in their everyday lives with memorable lines like “justice is expensive”. Philo also breaks the fourth wall at various points in the movie, allowing viewers to step into her shoes and join her on her journey of revenge. The film does well in putting a focus on Philo, as audiences will still feel some sense of investment in her success even if her path follows conventional revenge formulae.

A Very Good Girl deserves additional praise for its dark portrayal of what it’s like to be a woman in a patriarchal society. For example, the film shows Molly’s assistant Charles (Jake Ejercito) taking advantage of his position to assault women. Molly’s status as a power-hungry villain also helps readers ponder whether being aggressive and exploitative are necessary for business success in a country where the richest nine individuals are all men . That’s not to say that the film thinks women should be meek though; its revenge arc also criticizes the assumption that women have to remain apologetic and humble in the face of injustice, and let karma take its course.

A compelling, satisfying mess

Beyond social consciousness though, A Very Good Girl tries to play many other roles—drama, comedy, satire, and so forth. In the end, it’s hard to grasp exactly what the film wants audiences to feel because it’s not consistent. In fact, A Very Good Girl starts off feeling like a cheap B-movie until it reveals that Philo is plotting revenge against Molly.

Ultimately, it’s strong performances from Bernardo and De Leon that pull the film forward from its messy execution. A Very Good Girl is Bernardo’s best character and performance to date; while she’s played many poor women before, the film adds an additional layer of complexity by having her play a poor woman who must pretend she’s wealthy. The doe-eyed Bernardo can pull off a broad range of emotions in this role; she doesn’t just cry on cue, but can also put on a “bad girl” persona that still betrays a hint of good with her eyes. It’s disappointing that it took so long for Bernardo to break out of her love team and romantic drama phase, as A Very Good Girl ; Hello, Love, Goodbye ; and The Hows of Us all showed what a multidimensional actress she could be.

De Leon’s consistent performance makes the film even more compelling. Molly is one of De Leon’s most fleshed-out characters, as she’s only played side characters before A Triangle of Sadness . Despite how A Very Good Girl tries to make readers question whether Molly or Philo is the real “villain”, nuances in De Leon’s performance help provide clues that contrast Molly from Philo; the film’s best moments are when only those two characters get left alone on screen.

Despite its formulaic foundations, A Very Good Girl is still refreshing at times—especially in a Philippine movie industry that’s so conservative that it’ll often refrain from having characters swear multiple times in mainstream movies. The movie’s eschewing of romance also adds some welcome variety to Philippine cinema; it’s good to see more focus on matters like the layers of motherhood, or how to remain good in an unfair world, instead of more love teams engaging in sappy relationships.

A Very Good Girl —Philippines. Dialog in Tagalog and English. Directed by Petersen Vargas. First released on September 27, 2023. Running time 1hr 57 mins. Starring Kathryn Bernardo, Dolly de Leon, Chie Filomeno, Jake Ejercito, Donna Cariaga.

A Very Good Girl is now streaming on Netflix.

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A Very Good Girl Review: Sass, Camp, and Farce Converge in this Twisted Revenge Comedy

Dolly de Leon and Kathryn Bernardo blow the lid off this slick, fierce and unforgettable dark comedy thriller.

ABS-CBN Film Productions/Star Cinema celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, fueled by past hits like Partners in Crime, An Inconvenient Love, To Love Some Buddy, and Hello Love, Goodbye. As such, the world's premier Filipino film production and distribution company has amped up its current slate of films, paving the way for the highly anticipated release of A Very Good Girl .

The ambitious revenge comedy thriller from director Petersen Vargas' ( 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten, An Inconvenient Love ) is an offbeat treat, one that occasionally flies way over the top and slaps you silly, thanks to the fierce performances of its two lead actors, Golden Globe Award and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon ( A Triangle of Sadness, Verdict, Historya ni Ha) and Asian Box Office diva Kathryn Bernardo ( Hello, Love, Goodbye and Barcelona: A Love Untold ).

The film already soared up Asian cinema charts and should find a good niche here in the west. What’s all the fuss? Darling, sit back and see.

A Wicked Revenge Thriller

Prepare to cherish some of the dialogue here, because screenwriters Marionne Dominique Mancol, Jonathan Albano, and Daniel Saniana sure are clever, freely floating from one mood to another. There’s high camp : “Shopping is my favorite cardio!” And fierce declarations: “You’re truly trampling the idea that it’s a man’s world run by fragile egos and their pathetic boners. 'Cause who said you need a dick to rule this world, right?”

Right? That said, the plot gives us a premise worthy of a streaming series binge: After a ruthless firing and its devastating aftermath, a determined Philo (Kathryn Bernardo) embarks on a strategic revenge plot against a chic, rich retail mogul named Mother Molly (Dolly de Leon). Philo is hell-bent on dismantling everything in “mother’s” world. Basically, payback is a bitch, and her name is Philo.

Exclusive: Dolly De Leon Steals Triangle of Sadness

We’re not initially privy to Philo’s plan from the get-go. The film opens at a lavish event where Philo — nice threads, honey — saunters in and outbids Mother Molly (a global brand with her retail stores dubbed Mother) for an art piece, only to later gift to it to her. We learn that Philo and Molly are destined to meet as Philo deeply admires Mother. When the elder woman asks, “Why me?” Philo simply tells her she’s just an innocent orphan gal who admires the celebrated superstar that Mother is.

Mother Molly loves an ego stroke like any good control/rage freak narcissist would. But she’s not dumb. Still, there’s something unique about Philo and Mother Molly softens — a bit. But Philo can’t wait for Mother Molly. She quickly embarks on her revenge plan , starting with going after Mother’s inner circle. Up the dart board with photos goes and Philo is soon explaining to her pal, Karen (Donna Cariaga), her elaborate plan.

She’s So Bad, It’s Good

It's one thing to just get fired, but Philo isn’t about to let go of what happened after that, because it forever altered her life. This woman sees red, and she wants blood. The film jumps back and forth across timelines to clue the audience in on some of that backstory . American audiences — the film is in English and Filipino and subtitled — may prefer to have known that backstory sooner, as oftentimes in the west, audiences are used to having things explained to them rather than allowing things to simmer a bit. It’s good that director Petersen Vargas follows the script to the letter because some of these big reveals are game changers.

We learn that Philo and Karen have embarked on an online “personal assistant” business to rake in the cash Philo needs to annihilate the epic mall maven that Mother is. Good clothes aren’t cheap, honey, and Philo creates an elaborate fake social media presence to win over some of Mother’s elite inner circle, like Zab (Chienna Filomeno), who’s immediately charmed by Philo’s sudden appearance in her life. Their “Hi Babe” banter is wicked fun.

As Philo takes down one person after another, she and Mother become close and a sick, twisted emotional game plays out. It’s here the script dips into mother/daughter relationships. First, with Philo recalling her mother’s bright spirit and advice; then Mother Molly’s, who tells her global audience via social media that she has her own ailing mother to thank for her current global success as a celebrated global brand-name mall matriarch.

Exclusive: A Very Good Girl Director Petersen Vargas on His Brilliant Revenge Film

One could easily criticize the film’s middle section, which seems a bit drawn out and tends to weigh things down a tad. Still, it gives audiences enough to chomp on so that they understand the full power and passion and delusions of these two powerful women who clearly are not about to give up control. It should be said that there appears to be no role Dolly de Leon can't master. As Mother Molly, she is deliciously savage and thoroughly fun to experience. Things are messy and emotionally nutty at times here, but de Leon's grounded performance throughout is a brilliant. Kathryn Bernardo commands the screen as Philo, who's fierce commitment to seeing her plan through is a joy to watch, despite the script's overt wanderings. But hey, it's Star Cinema, and that's what we love about these kinds of movies.

A Very Good Girl is as smart as it is wildly fun, and even when the film leans heavily into quirky farce at times, it's continuous dark comedy thread manages to weave an overall engaging tale that should wow audiences. In fact, that last scene of the movie will shock you. So, hang on. Ultimately, the film is a quirky and fun ride.

A Very Good Girl, an ABS-CBN and Star Cinema release, opens in theaters October 6.

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A Very Good Girl Reviews

A Very Good Girl shows the many levels of revenge and betrayal. It twists and turns Philo’s plans to test her limit, but this is her story, and she knows this is the right thing to do.

Full Review | Dec 1, 2023

Alternating between melodramatic and campy, A Very Good Girl benefits from the talented performance of Dolly de Leon as a ruthless and conniving business mogul who is more complicated than she first seems to be. It's a twist-filled revenge story.

Full Review | Oct 12, 2023

MOVIE REVIEW: Kathryn Bernardo delivers a true superstar turn in the cynical and campy ‘A Very Good Girl’

October 2, 2023

There is a very pivotal scene that happens very early in ‘A Very Good Girl’ that tells us we are in the presence of a superstar: Kathryn Bernardo, as her character Philo, has just insinuated herself into the world of the ultra-rich shopping mall matriarch Mother Molly (played by Dolly De Leon) and after days, maybe even weeks, of playing suck up and kiss ass, she finally comes home and begins to take out her makeup. Throughout the long intro that established the world and the campy tone of the film, both Barnardo and De Leon are bedecked in expensive clothes and heavy makeup and have spent last ten or so minutes showing off to each other, Bernardo as Philo starts to wipe her face clean, and we begin to see that this is a character with so many layers. The campiness is stripped away only to reveal a very real anger that drives the narrative of ‘A Very Good Girl’ hurtling forward. It’s an anger that Bernardo wears and hides beneath Philo’s sweet and endearing exterior. What makes it even more impressive is that Bernardo then brings this anger and takes it with her as she returns into the world of camp.

If ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’ did not already prove Kathryn Bernardo has all the trappings of an excellent actress, then ‘A Very Good Girl’ will remove all question of it. If there’s anything director Petersen Vargas does well is to take the bonkers script of Marianne Dominque Mancol, Jonathan Albano, and Daniel Saniana and use it to showcase all of Kathyn Bernardo’s strengths. This is her movie through and through and it’s a great way to announce the full range of Bernardo’s abilities.

The movie, in of itself, is a demanding movie for all its campy craziness. It asks of us to care and invest in Philo, as she thrusts headfirst into the dangerous game of revenge. Vargas and the writers are not averse to taking their lead character into the dark corners of Philo’s psyche – a place that Bernardo handles very well – but by doing so, our protagonist starts to skirt the same lines that her target, the deliciously evil Mother Molly, also operates in. ‘A Very Good Girl’ works within that framework that if you fight fire with fire, you can burn everything down during the battle.

At the onset of the movie, it goes straight into the heat of it all. Without any introductions, Philo is already making her moves to get into Mother Molly’s good graces. The film takes no time to let us into that world. We hit the ground running. As Philo engages in psychological warfare against Mother Molly and everyone around her, we only then start to discover who she really is and why she’s on a warpath.

This is where the movie needs to reel it in. Early on, it enters a flashback that takes a little too long (it felt like ten or twelve minutes, and it could have been shorten to just the necessary story beats and left to a solid five minutes) and it is these flashbacks that kill the pacing of the film and tries to justify the mayhem that will ensue. At every turn, the film tries to differentiate Philo and Mother Molly (Mother Molly is evil while Philo is just driven to this) but the film also takes a lot of enjoyment when Philo begins to break Mother Molly’s world apart.

The first set up includes many scene-stealing moments from Chie Filomeno, who does a hilarious parody of every rich socialite, influencer and builds some really strong laugh out loud moments that can serve as the peak of the comic tone of the film. As the film progresses, it gets darker and darker. The laughs are fewer and far between each other as Vargas starts to twist things. He creates a moment of humanity for Mother Molly – these moments are when Dolly De Leon really shines, when she finds these soft, vulnerable moments for the evil character she is portraying – and then he plays into the conflicted state of Philo’s head. Is she pushing through with her revenge or has Mother Molly become a mother figure?

This is what I enjoyed most about ‘A Very Good Girl’ and it is by how it didn’t go to where I thought it would. From the beginning I was fighting everything about it because it wasn’t going the way I thought it should – it’s a Star Cinema movie and it has Kathryn Bernardo and it’s a revenge story, why isn’t it going this way? Why is it going this way? – and it was when I finally let go and let the movie be what it was that I started to really enjoy it.

The film settles itself in a strange place that is camp but also satire. It plays off of our exaggerated ideas about the rich (they were gowns and jewelry at home, the way by which they look down on people) while emphasizing how distorted and broken our justice system is that people with money always get away with everything (a hilarious scene involving a neck brace brought out one of loudest laughs in the movie) and all through-out, at the center of it, is a character who has had enough and is taking matters into her own hands and… by every turn, seems to be losing.

‘A Very Good Girl’ is a difficult film to take because it looks like a crazy, campy Star Cinema movie but it really is a jaded and cynical look at the very real and very crazy world we live in today. Surprisingly, the film manages to end with hope, an optimistic turn that isn’t implausible in a Filipino movie (it manages to find its Star Cinema-ness by the end) and it works but it also works if it fully embraced the darkness that had overtaken the film halfway through.

This movie was such a joy for me to watch because it was not what I was expecting (and I loved that), even if it ended the way I think a Star Cinema movie would end. The film was crazy and irreverent, and I thought it could have even pushed it more. But where it went is already a step forward. And at the very center of it all, ‘A Very Good Girl’ is so enjoyable because of Kathryn Bernardo’s commitment to the character and the genre. This is a superstar turn.

My Rating :

A Very Good Girl is now showing. Get your screening times and tickets here .

Homestream images from ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema)

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Wednesday, september 27, 2023.

September 26, 2023

Multimillionaire CEO of Mother Mall, Molly Suzara (Dolly De Leon) wanted very badly to own an ancient wooden figurine, willing to spend top money for it. However, a young woman named Philomena "Philo" Angeles (Kathryn Bernardo) had already beat her to the punch to buy the expensive item. As an annoyed Ms. Suzara hastened to leave the venue, Philo caught her at the door and gave the precious artifact to her as a gift .

Such was the puzzling yet irresistible opening sequence of Petersen Vargas's latest project "A Very Good Girl." Told from the point of view of Philo, her backstory would go back five years ago, about how a mousy and miserable plain Jane with a sickly mother (Angel Aquino) named Mercedes "Mercy" Novela would evolve into the stylish and sophisticated Philomena Angeles, an angry young woman who had just set her elaborate scheme into action.

Fresh from her high-profile success abroad with "Triangle of Sadness" (Ruben Östlund, 2022), veteran indie character actress Dolly de Leon is finally playing her very first lead role in a mainstream Filipino movie. De Leon delighted in chewing up the scenery with her flamboyantly bitchy, gleefully hypocritical, and sinisterly power-tripping big boss. Everything about Mother Molly was exaggerated and larger-than-life, and de Leon lived it up.

Kathryn Bernardo more than matched de Leon's acting passion in her complex character with two distinct personas. While playing Mercy was more within her comfort zone, Bernardo threw all caution to the wind to play seething, scheming Philo, a role against her usual type. When the title was first revealed in the opening credits, the audience actually erupted into applause when heard something they've never heard Bernardo say before.

For each of Philo's encounters, Vargas switched up his storytelling style to make his stew even richer. With the mall's image model Zab (Chie Filomeno), there was dark comedy. With Molly's right-hand man Charles (Jake Ejercito), there was sexual intrigue. With Molly's personal assistant Gene (Ana Abad Santos), there was family melodrama. With Molly herself, every scene was a showdown of sass, every word dripping with vindictive venom.

Vargas also peppered the film with interesting minor chracters to spice things up further. They elicited strong audience reactions, actually stealing their scenes. They include the comical matron Thea (Kakki Teodoro), the mysterious cripple Rigel (Kaori Oinuma) and the adorable jetset bulldog Noriah. This was quite a roller-coaster ride of a film with an over-the-top camp value, with haute couture dresses and high society production design all the way. 8/10.

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Movie review: 'A Very Good Girl' offers quite a roller-coaster ride

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Review by Philbert Dy Pro

A very good girl 2023 ★★★½.

Watched Sep 28 , 2023

Philbert Dy’s review published on Letterboxd:

There are several ways this movie could have played out its revenge plot: it could have gone seriously dramatic, gone full camp, or gone really dark. The issue I found with the film is that it tried to do all of them at once. At different points in the movie, it just feels like it's a little unsure of what it wants to be.

There's just a lot in here; so much that the film struggles to carry it all. At times, the movie is hurtling forward so fast that it doesn't leave a lot of time to really reckon with what's gone on. And the film is kind of about people realizing that they have to face the consequences of their actions, but the movie doesn't have the room to follow up on things.

That girl who got her life ruined? Just gone. That dude blackmailed into doing something? Who cares? On to the next thing; on to the next part of this plan that turns out to be pretty half baked when all is said and done. It's hard to imagine this character going through all this trouble and thinking that what she later obtains would actually be enough. But again: on to the next thing: another wrinkle in this already twisted tale that doesn't seem to really consider what's gone on before it.

In short: it's messy. It's a compelling mess, though: one that involves two really fine actors often made up glamorously playing mind games with each other. It's fun to unwrap the layers of each performance, both characters having to hide who they really are, and what they really want. It's different when there are other people around, and when it's just the two of them. And then sometimes we see Mercy at her other work, putting on yet another persona. And then maybe we see who she really is, in past and in present.

There's a lot there. I just wish the movie could have picked a lane, and let all that filter through a more unified approach. I did enjoy it, though, for how different it all felt. Like, there isn't even a love interest in the whole thing. Hell, there's only one guy with a substantial role. That's just an interesting thing to see, even if it didn't all quite work out for me.

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A Very Good Girl Movie Review: Revenge is Best Served Predictable

A very good girl is kathryn’s cinematic comeback along with internationally acclaimed actress dolly de leon that tackles a familiar tale told in a refreshing light for the filipino audience.

“Do it for Mother.”

In four words at the beginning of the film, everything about A Very Good Girl is told. From the actions of the characters to the motivations ruling them, they all touch on mothers one way or another. At times, the matriarchal moniker should have been the title of the movie, but when you center the lens to Kathryn Bernardo and her character’s weakest and strongest points against Dolly De Leon’s Molly, the title makes the most sense.

RELATED: Kathryn Bernardo and Dolly De Leon’s A Very Good Girl Has Two Teasers

One would think that a very good girl is not one to commit revenge. Forgive and forget. Let go and move on. But when you are ruled by such determined goodness and morality, vengeance becomes an excuse to live, a drive to succeed. Philo, Bernardo’s character, has lived for this fact five years into the movie.

Revenge through Philo’s eyes

While the dynamic sides of characters are nothing new to stories—a fact why villains are hated but more loved—it is in the protagonist’s eyes that you see the gray area of seeking justice especially in an unfair world, much less an unfair society in the country. The close up shots allow us to unwillingly look at revenge in the eyes through Philo, especially when she breaks the fourth wall and even take us to a visual representation of what she really wants to do sans her sense of reason. Those scenes could get most of us on the edge of our seats for a while, but when it does happen for the second time, you already know that that was merely from Philo’s mind. A conventional hook, but an acceptable one nonetheless.

A Very Good Girl Kathryn Dolly movie review

In the film, we see Kathryn at her peak as an actress with the way she communicates emotion through her eyes. It’s high time that she gets this kind of material to challenge her acting prowess that, until Hello, Love, Goodbye , critics and audiences have underestimated. This critique is something that she has used as an advantage in A Very Good Girl , proving that even without dialogues, she can portray revenge, power, and mercy—individually and altogether—by just a look. With the actress effectively channeling words through her eyes, the monologue acting as a backgrounder to her identity felt unnecessary. There was already enough message that Philo’s eyes could speak, and listening to them felt like they were done for the quote worthiness and not for its genuine effect that could already be found in Bernardo’s acting.

Revenge through flared fashion

Before watching A Very Good Girl , the viewers are encouraged to dress up in their best revenge looks. For one to play the part, one must look like it. That is what Philo did every time she would penetrate into the world of Molly and attempt to shake it.

The risk of playing with style is a conscious choice that the movie portrayed well. It highlights the disparity of fairness in the eyes of those who can afford to bend and obstruct it, those who can only think about looking good when others are concerned with survival.

When Philo drops her chic and polished persona out of sheer panic for her situation at the latter part of the movie, it highlights how others can fashion their reality to look better in the eyes of others. During desperate times, we see our realities.

And if there is anyone who can easily wear the shoes of a character who dresses up for menace, it’s Dolly De Leon. Watching her on screen does not feel like she is playing the role. She is the role. Her performance did not have a peak moment in the entirety of the film. She went for a stable consistency with her acting, a lesson that perhaps audience themselves would need to see more and appreciate on the series and films we watch.

Revenge as a familiar dish

A number of tales familiar to Filipinos deals with the objective of getting an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. In A Very Good Girl , it’s a mother for a mother. At one point, it almost felt like a soul for a soul, but it’s Philo’s mercy, a very good girl side of hers, we are spared with a harsh action that the desperate are forced to do in reality.

What the movie gets most right about its theme is its dark comedy genre, approaching the narrative with pop culture references that are fun and political at the same time, such as the neck brace way of bailing from one’s crimes committed. Vengeance becomes fun in the film while also constantly reminding those who are watching that there are always eyes looking at you. Others, yes, but the most important are your own. You know how the saying goes—the eyes are windows to your soul.

For one who has seen revenge plots retold countless of times, what else is unwritten is the after in the ever after. Thankfully, director Petersen Vargas executes it with giving us only what we need to make us think about his latest project, and even our own projects of revenge in our heads.

All in all, A Very Good Girl is a brave leap that Star Cinema decided on its 30th anniversary, and thankfully, they did. Although there will be much more said about the movie by those who have yet to see it, one thing is for sure—this is also Kathryn Bernardo’s vengeance to those who still doubt her as an actress. Only, just like her character, she does it with so much mercy that more than being moved by her performance, we get to say, “She has mothered.”

Photos: STAR CINEMA (via Instagram and YouTube)

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Technical specs

Runtime 2 hours 2 minutes