A movie from Philippines. Released this year around Valentine’s this movie did a whopping business at the box office. I had never heard of the movie before..I stumbled upon it accidently on my friend’s laptop and once the movie started rolling there was no stopping it.
The movie is a sequel to the 2008 A very special Love. The first movie shows how these two young people Laida Magtalas (Sarah Geronimo) and Miguel Montenegro (John Lloyd Cruz) fall in love. The sequel shows how they get along, stumble, part and then come again together with more understanding and acceptability.
Laida works in an ad agency and Miggy is also riding high on this fruitful relation. Earlier Laida had been working as his EA..now she is the account manager in their advertising business. Things started getting rough when Miggy gets promoted as the manager to the Montenegro laundry business in Laguna. There is pressure to perform plus the distrust of his elder brother and the workers which put him under a continuous scanner. He wants to increase their existing business but raw to the ways of the factory he ruthlessly ignores the need of his employees so much so that he suggests to cut their bonus to meet the impossible deadlines…well the inevitable happens..the workers go on strike!! While all this is happening Laida and Miggy’s personal relationship receive jolt after jolt. They squeeze in time between shifts. Laida stays up late in the office so that Miggy can come pick her because that is the only way they see each other. She even decides to resign so that she can go and help him in his factory ..atleast she will be near him that ways..
I like the sequence between the brothers when they are out on a business dinner with Arturo’s (Miguel’s elder brother) ex girl fren and Miguel asks “is it worth it?”
Art:- what?
Miggy: letting her go?
Art:- “If letting her go meant continuing our family’s legacy, if letting her go meant to provide better lives to all those who loved our families with all their hearts, then the sacrifice is all worth it.”
Miggy: It is hard to be like you Art!
Art: I don’t expect you to be like me, Miguel . I expect you to be better than me
o o o..i can hear some of you saying cheesy but trust me this is the scenario many people face in their real life. Family pressure, work priorities force them to choose family and legacy over love and personal life!! This is portrayed very brilliantly by Miguels’s brother here whose fetish is his family business and family name.
There is this another dialogue that I like. It is both humorous and sensible. When Miguel is fretting over the fate of his relationship after his confrontation with Liada; Minang,Miguel’s executive assistant tells him “you know wherever that Laida is, I’m sure she is quite tired. She has been running through your mind day and night…why don’t you just end her misery?”
The movie is done realistically...every couple has this phase when the lovey dovey days wane off and one has to make decisions , priorities have to be set, work and personal life has to be balanced..things are not easier with people around you sowing seeds of doubts. Here this is done by the office staff of Liada. Their picturization lend the movie a believable and humorous appeal. There are these two colleagues who keep on betting on everything and they say “I put 2 peso that it will last 2 months” the other says “no no..2 weeks” and says Laida “four…(pause)..foreveeeer!!”
There is also the angle of the 3rd guy Macoy Romero (Rayver Cruz) who was a very good friend of Laida. He calls her Yats and has come as a new EA to Laida’s office. When Miguel sees them both together and does not like it Liada stops all contact with him, no questions asked, no show of any distress or sacrifice. (which might be quite unacceptable to many). She is happy to do anything required to make the relationship going..Macoy and Laida go to the same office but then Liada carefully maintains a distance from him. There are many times when I feel that may be it is Macoy and Liada who will hit it off with Miguel and Laida hardly seeing each other. The way both guys compete against each other in Liada’s brother’s birthday is hilarious. Talk about jealousy and guy rivalry here.. ;)
There are times when Liada’a dedication to the relationship seems excessive so much so that the entire time I kept on comparing Liada with myself and I felt I could never sacrifice and maintain a cheerful face the way she did. There are some cute things that is specific to this couple and I guess is very much like real life..Every couple use endearments for the other, everybody has some symbolic gestures, song, game which has a special significance for both of them. Liada and Miguel have the rain dance, the power hug and their song which one uses to appease the other!
The characterization and portrayal is apt. John Lloyd looks convincing as the young entrepreneur. His character is not overtly romantic. On the other hand the character of Macoy played by Rayver Cruz is handsome, sweet and lovable. It is easy to fall for him and that is why I think he was taken for this character. It would require a lot of commitment to reject a guy like him. And may be that was the point that the director wanted to drive across.
Well like everything else the movie has two sides..people who are anti-romance may not like it..the movie gets cheesy sometimes more so with Liada’s perseverance. But all in all movie is nicely laid out. Also what looks unbelievable is Liada’s disregard for the attention and care showered on her by Macoy. Her entire life revolves around Miguel but then we cannot deny that there are relations and here are girls who are like Liada.
A through starry romantic number the movie never has a dull moment. Must watch for all love hose girly movies..but I suggest you to start with the first one “ A Very Special Love”
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