TONI Gonzaga (left) and Coco Martin’s screen chemistry doesn’t feel organic.
Antoinette Jadaone’s latest film, “You’re My Boss” casts Toni Gonzaga as a driven, insensitive marketing executive reeling from a recently terminated romance. The boyfriend didn’t dump her; he just got tired waiting for her to find time to focus on him instead of on herself, for a change!
She took the breakup really badly, her loud and messy reaction went viral on social media, so she ended up as a sort of poster child for career women who can’t be happy at love, because they care only for themselves, first and last.
Instead of becoming a better person, Toni’s character blames everybody else and the cruel universe for her sad fate, and becomes an even bitchier bully—if that’s at all possible!
At the receiving end of her bilious bully tactics is her assistant, a nice “normal” guy played by Coco Martin, who just wants to do a good job—no “melodramatics,” please! Alas, that’s what Toni gives him, in spades, so viewers worry that he won’t survive the ordeal.
Not to worry, fate ends up on the abused good guy’s side—it’s even possible that she will benefit from the experience!
Questions of credibility
So far, so good, right? But, the otherwise diverting movie stumbles early on in its storytelling, becoming too “fated” to be believed. At an important make-or-break meeting with a big Japanese airline executive, the VIP client refuses to talk to Toni, whom he perceives to be an assistant, and insists on meeting only with “the boss.” Terrified that the all-important deal will come to naught, Toni thinks very fast—and introduces her assistant, Coco, as “the boss!”
This key act of deception isn’t believably staged, so questions of credibility and logic hound the movie forthwith.
What about the addled assistant’s reaction to instant “boss-hood”? At first, he’s absolutely terrified that he won’t pull off the ruse—but, after a while, he enjoys its perks, especially the opportunity it gives him to put his boss-turned-assistant, Toni, in her place!
This tit-for-tat, turn-the-tables twist delight viewers who dream of doing the same to their arrogant and cruel employers, so the film taps into an empathetic force field that serves it well as it plays out its storytelling to its conclusion.
Another bright note is struck by the production’s decision to teach Toni’s character to go back to basics, by taking her and Coco back to his hometown in beautiful Batanes.
Tourist-y twist
We appreciate the subplot’s visual treats, but the detour ends up mostly as a tourist-y twist, so it’s a letdown.
On point of performance, Toni acts up a termagant storm, but is often too “Cruella de Ville” to be believed. Contrastingly, Coco plays it more natural and warmer, so viewers empathize with him, while Toni gets most of the caustic and sarcastic laughs.
We appreciate both thrusts, but wish that the movie had bothered to effect a more organic blend between them.
Above all, we hope that, in her follow-up rom-coms, Jadaone doesn’t sacrifice believability for trendy wisecracks, because the all-important “suspension of disbelief” factor has to come into play before viewers’ completely copacetic empathy and trust can kick in.