Thoughts on our Valentine's Date

Have I just posted a Rom-Com at my blog?!!! What am I thinking!!

Whenever people ask who came up with the idea of watching Starting Over Again this Valentine's I point to my boyfriend. I don't watch Romance movies too often, let alone a local one. Maybe that's the reason why he invited me in the first place for a change.

Prior to this though a good friend of mine kept on making me watch Pinoy Romantic movies on every opportunity she gets. She was successful in about 3 of them I think. My sisters also insisted in us seeing Bride for Rent which was just OK. It was a weird experience seeing it in the movie house. It was a rom-com but the only times I laughed (twice I think) were the only times no one did. I don't know what to make out of it. It's either there is something wrong with me or them.

So anyway, we watched Starting Over Again and it had a lovely ending-- SPOILER ALERT --

They didn't end up with each other.

Now before you react violently let me explain my piece.

The first movie that my friend let me watch was the one with Bea and JL, popularly known for their characters as Popoy and Basha. I didn't get to see it the time it was released nor have  I any intentions of going to.  I watched it at Cinema One and I didn't like it.  Bea was selfish, JL was a douche and Maja was the only sane character there-- she walked out of a relationship with a f*cked up guy who can't move on. I don't see how did it swoon the nation back then. I don't care if everybody thinks that the love team should survive the script. In my book it's just wrong.

Both Starting Over Again and the one with Bea and JL (I still don't know the title and am too lazy to google) have the same themes. Both women left for an unknown reason which is later revealed as career moves (only in SOA, just to deviate from that they focused on how Toni made the choice so Piolo can also have a career). Both leading men were dangerously devastated after the breakup. Both women were firm in leaving no matter how their men plead. Both men found new love. Both women wanted to be back later on.

Now why did I love SOA's ending better? Because Piolo's character proved to be a man of dignity to enclose himself in a new relationship not out of spite but out of a clear head. Yes it was a struggle for him when Toni came but being able to survive the ordeal is rare, in Filipino movies anyways. His choice brought one of our nearby seatmates utter disgust that this is her least enjoyable ending until she came out laughing of the not so necessary "ending". It's unfortunate that film makers have to resort to adding that part just to be in the audience's favor. Why, Pinoys would be in outrage and a sad ending is unheard for!

More than being able to nitpick movies I don't like watching, I just don't have the patience to keep up with embarrassing antics, most often portrayed by the leads, and decisions they make that are unrealistic at it's best. I have a hard time connecting with love stories that have obviously written situations that rarely happens in real life. That's why I truly enjoyed Patty's (Iza Calzado) line:

"Ours began in a most unexciting way, as friends. Now, our love may be quiet and boring but it is sure..."**

Now, that, is my kind of love story.



**Thanks for this site for this line.