“Try lang natin. Tapos if it doesn’t work, then at least we tried.”
These were the words spoken by AM Fernandez (Janine Gutierrez ) in the 2022 romance drama Ngayon Kaya. In the film, AM, a rich pre-med student with a heart set on music goes sightseeing while drinking with her best friend Harold Coquia (Paulo Avelino). She asks him to take a chance on their shared dream of being a band despite the uncertainty of pursuing music even after their favorite gig spot shuts down. Harold is hesitant, weighed down by doubts about practicality and survival. AM, ever the idealist, refuses to let fear win and insists that they give their dream a shot now rather than live with regret later.
The film follows AM and Harold from their college days to a bittersweet reunion years later at a friend’s wedding. After nine years of no contact, they find themselves with 16 unexpected hours to be together. Harold, who had immigrated to Canada and was working as a restaurant manager to support his struggling family, and AM, who did not pursue med school and instead became a payroll manager, are forced to confront the lives they chose and the dreams they left behind.
With contrasting personalities, the two never quite crossed the line from “more than friends, but less than lovers.” Their story became a symbol of timing, priorities, and the cost of hesitation. And in that journey, AM’s line about trying became the emotional anchor.
At its core, the line was about music. But beneath the surface, the line carried something bigger. It was about choosing courage over comfort. It was about facing uncertainty head-on instead of letting “what ifs” linger for years.
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Since the film’s release, the dialogue has resonated far beyond its original context. What started as a push to pursue music evolved into a rallying cry for relationships, career shifts, business ventures, and even travel dreams. On TikTok, the line found a second life as a background audio for videos about taking risks in love, confessing feelings, or finally chasing long-postponed goals. It became shorthand for mutual effort and self-belief.
AM’s line does not promise success nor guarantee a happy ending. What it offers is something simpler and perhaps braver: the assurance that trying is better than wondering forever.
Over time, the dialogue has intertwined with OPM nostalgia, often paired online with Mayonnaise’s “Jopay,” further amplifying its emotional pull. Together, they evoke memories of youth, missed chances, and the fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, it’s not too late.
The movie itself challenged viewers to rethink their attachment to regrets. Released as one of the first local films to premiere in physical theaters after the COVID-19 lockdown, it arrived at a time when uncertainty felt universal. The theme of missed chances and second opportunities struck a chord with audiences emerging from years of paused plans and postponed dreams.
Ngayon Kaya went on to receive 10 nominations at the 25th Gawad PASADO, including Best Picture, Best Actor Award for Paulo, and Best Actress Award for Janine. The actor was also nominated for Best Actor at the FAMAS. But beyond accolades, it was the emotional honesty of its story — and especially that one line — that endured.
Back in 2022, Janine opened up about how deeply she connected with AM’s journey.
“I really love this role kasi sobrang nakaka-relate ako sa kanya. Kasi parang everybody in their lives, meron usually yung isang tao na palagi mong naiiisip na what if? Or parang ano kaya kung iba yung ginawa ko or iba yung sinabi ko? And ito yung tema ng pelikula,” she previously said during the Ngayon Kaya press screening event.
Her reflection revealed why the line felt so lived in. It was not just scripted dialogue, but it mirrored a universal human experience and the lingering question of what might have been.
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In an episode of Kapamilya Chat that same year, Janine shared her thoughts on being trapped by uncertainty.
“Sa tingin ko, medyo trap ‘yang mga what ifs na ‘yan. At saka para siyang baggage na dapat i-let go mo na lang.”
She added that instead of sulking over what could have been, just learn from them
“Kung meron ka mang pagsisisi, subukan mo na lang i-correct or i-ayos ‘yung path mo para magawa mo pa rin ‘yung mga gusto mong gawin,” she added.
Years after its premiere, AM’s line continues to live on not just as a movie quote, but as a reminder. In a world filled with uncertainties, shifting priorities, and endless what-ifs, sometimes the boldest move is simply to try. And if it doesn’t work, at least you did.