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| From the net |
I watched Ex With Benefits starring Coleen
Garcia and Derek Ramsay and Iiked it. Contrary to comments that the movie which
is now on its second week in theaters just sells sex, I actually found it
relatable and educational. The saying that you should not judge a book by its
cover is actually true in this movie. You have to watch it to be able to truly
appreciate its value. After all, one cannot just comment about the things
inside if he is just standing outside.
Well, I believe that the production really
planned to include that scene in the thriller that got the ire of medical
representatives. And who would not when if you would watch it, it really put
them in bad light? With that alone, humans who are mostly judgemental were expected to
conclude that yes medical representatives would sleep with doctors in order to
reach their quota. But then, it was for me a calculated move by the production
people behind this movie in order to generate a buzz. It was meant to intrigue,
to create controversy so that the public will be curious and eventually watch
the movie. They eventually removed that scene in the succeeding trailers but it
managed to tease the moviegoers. People were entralled, it was such a tease. And yes, people watched.
So what was that all about? That line about
cuddling being not part of Arki’s,(Coleen’s character),duty as medical representative? Is it really true that medical
representatives would sleep with doctors to get an endorsement? Maybe yes,
maybe no.
But as
far as Arki was concerned she had her reason,
and that was to support her family, especially her dad who suffered mild stroke
while trying to help her get back on her toes after she was devastated and
committed suicide because of what happened to her relationship with Adam,
(Derek), back in medical school.
And because she
eventually took the role of being the family’s breadwinner, she worked as a
medical representative and in her desire to bring food to the table she did
everything she can including that of sleeping with doctors just so her products
will be endorsed. She did it the wrong way and the movie did not dignify it.
But at the same time, the movie gave viewers a message of hope: one should be
given a second chance to redeem one’s self and start a life with integrity.
Moreover, Carmi
Martin’s character said it right when she mentioned that it is not only Arki who did it the wrong way because there is an actress who sleep with her
director, a secretary who goes to bed with her boss or that client to her lawyer.
So it is reality. It is a generic possibility. And everybody who is doing that
has his/her own reason. But Arki has redeemed herself when she eventually
refused the innuendo of one doctor when she finally realized that she is a med
rep whose duty is to sell medicines that can help people.
Poverty is not a
justification and there are ways out there to be able get an endorsement in a
moral and legal way. In fact Carmi is a testament to it when she said she never
slept her way to the top.
Meanwhile Arki nailed it right when she said it was
unfair for her to blame Adam what she did or what happened to her because it
was her decision, it was her choice to make. It was her call. She knew it was
wrong yet she did it. The movie taught us to admit our mistake, correct it and
do our best not to repeat it again.
At the same time, it also inculcated in us the
message of forgiving oneself in order to move on. For how can you forgive
others if you have not forgiven your self first? You can never pick up the
broken pieces of your life if you yourself is broken. Sometimes we are too busy
thinking of the possibility of forgiving and forgetting others that we have
forgotten that we have not forgiven our own self first. We are very occupied
blaming others for our misfortunes when in the first place it was us who
decided to commit such action that has caused our misfortune.
Adam was also correct when he said there is no
cure for pain but to endure it. In life we are afraid to face our demons, too
scared to confront the truth. We love to always run away from the pain, suspend
the ache and pretend everything is just fine when deep inside us we are
devastated. We put up a facade that everything is okay, when the truth is our
heart is bleeding and weeping, that it is in the highest state of brokenness and
emptiness.
It is also good that
the movie painted a message of honesty and truthfulness expressed through
Adam’s principle to endorse only products which are effective and will not be
harmful to patients. He is a doctor with integrity, one who cannot be bought
nor be persuaded by favors and under the table or on top of the bed
arrangements.
There are some
loopholes in the storytelling like its failure to explain how a medical student
who had to take a revalida exam twice and had to be coached by his girlfriend
when called upon to answer during class discussion eventually rose to become
the country’s number one doctor 10 years after.
The ending was trying hard and
predictable. And if you think of it, it will create a conflict of interest
because the teacher is in a relationship with his student. It will eventually
put Arki in bad light again especially if she will have good grades and
classmates will conclude that it is so because the teacher is in love with her.
Coleen’s acting is
still inconsistent. She was supposed to break and weep in that scene with Derek
in the hospital when she asked him to just let her go but her tears were scarce
and it took a while before she successfully shed one. But oh my Coleen's screen
presence is very strong! She will most likely be one of the biggest stars in
due time. Derek is still it. His sexiness on screen still projects intense
awesomeness, enough for viewers to scream and get excited every time he
appears. He fits the role so much!
Nevertheless, those
were forgivable because there were a lot of beautiful lessons you can picked
from the movie that will be very helpful as we face the challenges life has to
offer every now and then. What matters after all is you learn a thing or two
upon leaving the theater.
