John Denver Trending: Movie Review

With our phones and tablets at our fingertips, the rewards of going viral is only a tap or click away. The idea of having your 15 seconds of fame is on the onset might be one that many of us aspire today. We all know that going viral has its risks and sometimes it ain't for very good reasons. "John Denver Trending" presents the dirty truth as we all know but usually decide to forego - that with every judgement call especially those without evidence - there is always the other side of the coin we must consider.

John Denver Cabungcal (Jansen Magpusao) is your typical student - one who wants to do well in school to make his mother (Meryll Soriano) proud but also with some immaturity due to his young age. But when a classmate accuses him of stealing his tablet, John snaps and assaults his classmate. Unfortunately, someone was able to record the incident and uploads the video on social media and goes viral. John must now face not only the judgement of his classmates but also everyone else who has seen the video.

Don't always judge the book by its cover. A line we all have heard and know its significance. And yet, with social media, we tend to forget this core value. Every week there is someone who goes viral who people judge without batting an eye. There is someone who authorities or public figures with clout assume to guilt without solid evidence. And there are those who will create and spread fake news for their own sake and popularity. "John Denver Trending" presses these modern issues without any apprehensions in one solid package. The film has a strong yet simple story to back it up and an ending that will leave audiences with a heavy hit to their minds, hearts, and conscience. It is one of those films that you will remember for quite awhile. It helps that the film's script was shot in the town's native language bringing much more authenticity into the whole experience. On the acting front, the film's cast was mostly outstanding especially Jansen Magpusao who brought in a veteran-like performance and a nuanced one at that. Overall, "John Denver Trending" is emotional, dramatic, moving, and relevant. It's one film that modern Filipinos should watch as it helps us get some perspective into how each one of us has a responsibility to bear even with actions that are indirect like a comment, sharing, or liking.

Rating: 5 reels





Why you should watch it:
- relevant, emotional, moving. This is one film most audiences shouldn't miss.

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- there's no reason not to watch this unless you want a romance-drama or romance-comedy fix from your local films