A movie review from P-pop girl group BINI member Jhoanna received mixed reactions online after some netizens criticized her takeaways for being “conservative” and “misaligning” with the film’s themes on women’s reproductive rights and abortion.
The issue began after Jhoanna posted an Instagram Story on Wednesday, July 30, describing Sunshine as a “must-watch” and expressing her admiration for the film’s message.
Directed by Antoinette Jadaone and starring Maris Racal, Sunshine follows the story of a young athlete who discovers she’s pregnant while rising in her sports career. The film mainly touches on women’s reproductive rights in the country and controversial issues such as abortion.
Jhoanna began her post by congratulating its director, Antoinette Jadaone, and thanking her creating and sharing such piece to everyone. She also praised actress Maris Racal for giving life to the movie’s titular character, an athlete who discovers her pregnancy amidst her rising athletic career.
Her review read: “I love how it tackled mental health. Na kapag ‘yan na ‘yung tinitira, ang lakas-lakas na ng loob natin gumawa ng mga bagay na ikapapahamak natin. You never really know what someone’s going through and it’s really important to be more understanding of the silence, the sadness, and always try to lift others up with kind words.
“Sa mga katulad ni Sunshine (young moms) You are seen and you are strong. Strength isn’t about being tough, it’s about choosing to keep going kahit ang bigat-bigat na. Sa mga hindi, mag-isip nang mabuti, huwag nating ipagpalit ang future natin sa pansamantalang happiness.”
Jhoanna’s comments, also shared by the film’s production studio Project 8, quickly drew mixed reactions online.
One X user, who claimed to “love” the P-pop group, commented: “Disappointed with BINI Jhoanna’s take on Sunshine. Baka need ng BINI ng overall situationer ng reproductive health and rights sa pinas. I can be a tribute po 😆 Though sana naintindihan talaga niya ung movie and sana nag-ingat lang siya? [I don’t know] halatang anti-abortion ung stance.
Another wrote: “When I read her [Instagram] story, my first thoughts were: ‘Did we watch the same movie???’ Very pro-life ang atake 😕😕😕.”
Others speculated that watching the film with her parents may have influenced her perspective: “For me, kasi nanood rin siya kasama parents (conservative). Imagine watching ever since tapos may side comment ang boomer parents. ‘Di mo talaga mapa-process na reproductive health pala ang stance ng movie—mas more on sermon ‘yan na ‘wag gagawin kasi ganyan, ganito mangyayari.”
One user added: “Calling Sunshine ‘young mom’ when in fact ‘di naman siya nanganak sa film says a lot of Jhoanna’s POV. Pero gets naman—you don’t wake up one day and agree to these things. Kailangan ng mas malalim na pag-intindi at awareness on these topics na unfortunately, villainized pa rin sa bansa. And I think that is the purpose of Sunshine—to open these conversations. I just really hope beyond the [Instagram] story ay namulat talaga siya.”
Despite the criticism, several fans came to Jhoanna’s defense.
“I took the time to read Joanna’s take on that movie multiple times and tried to understand it deeply. And honestly, I didn’t see any “anti-abortion stance” that you’re referring to. If you really read it carefully, she was talking about mental health in general,” a user wrote on X.
“She just shared her thoughts and perspective on the movie, and now they’re hating her dahil hindi pareho ng pananaw nila ang pananaw n’ya. Jho is just 21, she’s young. Bawal na ba talaga silang magkaroon ng sarili nilang opinyon?”, another questioned.
Shortly after the backlash, Jhoanna followed up with a post, apologizing to those who may have misunderstood her initial message.
Jhoanna clarified that she was unaware of the online backlash until a friend informed her. She apologized if her words were misinterpreted and emphasized that her intention was to highlight societal pressure, the importance of support systems, and access to proper education.
“I appreciate the constructive feedback po. If my choice of words and how I posted Sunshine’s experience came across differently than I intended, I sincerely apologize po,” she explained.
She acknowledged that her initial post may not have fully captured the film’s message and expressed openness to learning from different perspectives.
“I do understand po that my initial post didn’t quite capture the heart of what the film was trying to convey especially given how deeply it tackles a much more personal and urgent issue that deserves to be approached with more care and clarity,” added Jhoanna.
“It was a good movie. Definitely worth watching. And i’m always open to thoughtful discussions and learning from different perspectives. Thank youuuu everyone”, her message concluded.
Some netizens welcomed her clarification, with others even saying an apology was unnecessary.
The following day, director Jadaone also weighed in on the issue, acknowledging the possible limitations Jhoanna and other public figures face when expressing opinions on controversial topics.
“I’m surmising these girls can’t just openly express opinions on abortion or other polarizing issues, so Jho just shared whatever touched her most deeply in Sunshine,” her X post read.
She also confirmed that Jhoanna was accompanied by her mother who were bothmoved to tears by the film during the screening.
Jadaone ended her post with a reminder that viewers may interpret stories in their own way, writing: “The author is dead. Kaya pag napanood n’yo na, sa inyo na, kay Jho na ang Sunshine. Salamat Jho sa panonood at laging pag-support!!”
