Box office
The film was a box office success on its opening day, earning a total of ₱43.3 million from over 250 cinemas nationwide. [13] Based upon the Philippine box office records, the film beat out the ₱32 million 2015 record of the romantic comedy film Crazy Beautiful You . [14] As of November 27, 2015, the film has earned ₱100 million. On November 29, 2015, A Second Chance grossed ₱200 million. [15] Major cinemas nationwide reported that they added more midnight screenings of the film "due to the deluge of audience in the evening." [16]
As of November 30, 2015, the film has already grossed ₱300 million, 6 days since its initial release in the Philippines. [17] [18] After 10 days of its release, ABS CBN reported that the film has passed the ₱400 million mark. [19] More than 4 weeks after its release, Star Cinema has announced that the film has already grossed more than ₱556,000,000.00 worldwide making it the first Filipino film to reach the ₱500 million mark. [20] [21]
Critical reception
The film received generally favorable reviews. Francis Joseph Cruz of Rappler.com writes, "Thankfully, A Second Chance gives honesty a chance within the business of weaving fables out of the romantic affairs of fictional people. In fact, it is almost a thorough middle-class drama, one that is as sensitive to the unwieldy aspirations of millennial couples as it is to the expectations of its paying audience. Its audacious mix of genre standards with an acute sense of belongingness in this real world of economic ambitions that are almost often betrayed is sincerely rewarding." [22]
Philberty Dy of ClickTheCity rates the film 4 out of 5 stating, "They break through the barrier of artificiality, and deliver bits of emotion that cannot be ignored. And that’s really something, even given the flaws." [23]
Atty. Ferdinand Topacio asserted in his review posted in Fashionpulis.com that, "A Second Chance is a cut above the rest, intelligent yet entertaining, and everything is above par: direction, editing and writing. The acting part is a given, with two of today's best in the field – John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo – playing the leads." [24]
Irish Eden Belleza of Gulf News in Dubai criticized the film's focus on the two main casts who, according to her, dominated almost every scenes in the film, and wrote "The movie could have added a little more depth to the characters." However, she said that "for those in rocky relationships looking for reassurance that there is hope at the end of the tunnel and, well, a second chance, this is one feel-good movie they should watch." [25]
