Where do broken hearts go?
This question was asked to a female colleague in our company. Her reply was Sagada. I don't know if she's a movie buff but she may have been influenced by the blockbuster movie That Thing Called Tadhana. That film was so popular that a Baguio/Sagada Tour was created to trace the places visited by the movie characters.
Now, if that question will be asked after Valentine's Day this year, I'll bet Palawan will figure prominently among the top answers.
Filmmaker Sigrid Andrea Bernardo follows up her blockbuster movie Kita Kita with another irresistible love story, Mr. and Mrs. Cruz. Bernardo fell in love with the beauty of Palawan and collaborated on a story of two broken-hearted strangers joining a group tour of Palawan.
Raffy Cruz (JC Santos) returns to Palawan to savor the good memories of his relationship with an ex-fiancee. Jilted on his wedding day, Raffy joins a tour group with no intention of making friends. Gela Cruz (Ryza Cenon) is a wife who left her husband to do find herself. Her soul-searching expedition took a detour to Palawan.
Raffy and Gela shares several things in common aside from their surname. Both are curly-haired and both have been smitten with the splendor of Palawan. Both are talkative although Gela took some time to get in the flow of sharing her past. The pair, usually mistaken as a married couple because of their common surname, decided to play along that line. In the course of their 'marriage', they talked about marriage, love relationships, commitment, and other topics under the sun including ATM and a Disney-Pixar cartoon character.
The bed scene, while expected and foreshadowed at the start, is not what I imagine it to happen at room 214. (Argh, Valentine’s day is just around the corner). Yes, we've heard and seen Raffy's account of what happened after they left the bar. But, there are questions left unanswered.
How is it that the shoulder straps of Gela's swimsuit are in disarray?
How come Gela is clean and refreshed?
My initial hunch is that something happened but after the screening forum with the director, I'm not so sure anymore. After hearing so much of the film Before Sunrise in discussions about two-character films, Bernardo shared that she watched the critically-acclaimed American film and made an effort not to copy it. If she makes a sequel about the two Cruzes, I doubt that she will go back to the bed scene and show a more revealing version of it.
Mr. and Mrs. Cruz benefits from the chemistry of the two leads, JC Santos and Ryza. Director Bernardo inserted an annoying Caucasian tourist so the audience can focus on the two Cruzes. The bar scene and the bed scene show the awesomeness of the pair. A tipsy Gela utters the unforgettable line 'Ang lalim pala dito.'
The farewell scene hints of a possible ever-after for the couple. All Raffy has to do is to correctly guess her phone number. Are the missing two digits a page number in the Romeo and Juliet book? Even if it is not a page number, Raffy can dial in a hundred possibilities and he will hit pay dirt. So, will it be Batanes for the Cruzes?
During the forum after the free screening, three male moviegoers professed their admiration for Bernardo's filmography. I am also a fan of Bernardo's love stories. I was surprised to hear that she started her film career as an actress for a Lav Diaz film. She worked her way around until she became an award-winning film director.
What if somebody asks me the question 'where do broken hearts go'?
My answer will be Movie Theaters.
I'm ecstatic over the box-office bonanza take of this film. Filmmaker Sigrid Andrea Bernardo continues to amaze audiences with her unique, character-driven love stories such as Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita and Lorna. Kita Kita is the latest delightful out-of-the-box concoction of Bernardo.
Kita Kita stars the unlikely couple of morena beauty Alessandra de Rossi and comedian Empoy Marquez. Empoy has a face that only...er, okay, I'll just describe it as nondescript and unremarkable.
I have a hunch that moviegoers, upon learning of the odd pairing, immediately think of Alessandra's character as either crazy or a visually-challenged lady. They guessed right because she is both. But, these traits do not define Lea. It is only in the second half of the film that her foremost trait shone brightly.
The first half of the film shows a blind Lea (Alessandra) travelling across the different tourist spots in Sapporo, Japan. Her main companion is Tonyo (Empoy), a Filipino tourist who befriended her. Initially, the kilig/hugot scenes are not that different from other romantic films. The couple, here and there, gets to know each other better. Seen from the point of view of Tonyo, the segment is entertaining and hilarious. However, as the same kilig/hugot scenes are replayed from the point of view of Lea, the whole bittersweet segment turns special and highly memorable.
All throughout these scenes, the audience admires the craziness and braveness of Lea for trusting Tonyo as travel buddy. She may have been brokenhearted but she sure is stubborn and crazy to let a mere acquaintance accompany her. The visually-challenged lady even allows Tonyo inside her residence!
There's a crucial scene inside the home of Lea. We see Lea running her hand along the face of Empoy. Unknown to the audience, the moment she felt the moustache of Tonyo, she 'knows' who he is. This is confirmed by the heart-breaking moment when she sees her 'friend' for the first time across the street. There wasn't a tinge of surprise, disappointment, or horror upon seeing Empoy. She has a joyous smile plastered on her face. He is what she expected to see all along.
I don't know if Bernardo meant for the film to be a homage to Charlie Chaplin's legendary film City Lights. The latter tells the story of a mustachioed tramp helping a blind girl. The heart-breaking finale shows the girl recovering her sight and sees her benefactor for the first time. The ending shot closes on the face of the Tramp. He tries hard to put on a smile, which may or may not have been reciprocated.
Kita Kita eliminates any uncertainty by showing Tonyo reciprocating Lea's smile. It is just too bad that his deep love for Lea led to his 'blindness.' Film character Tonyo falls prey to the 'Love is Blind' device utilized by rom-com filmmakers. This story device has male lovers meeting untimely deaths after failing to see vehicles coming their way. Makers of these films should put up road signs that read 'Bawal tumawid ang umiibig. Nakamamatay.'
Lea must have known who her travel buddy was but it was only after reading the letter of Tonyo that she sees the big picture. Along with Lea, the audience gets to see the big picture. Kindness and goodness go a long, long, long way in helping people see clearly the beauty of the world.
Do you remember the time you met someone, and firmly believed that the two of you are meant for one another? If you do, then this film might interest you.
A pre-teen girl named Anita (Teri Malvar) sees a new face in her village. Right then and there, she proudly proclaims that the newcomer is the one she'll marry.
Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita takes a sunny look at first love. Several times, we see a giddy Anita imagining her love dancing in front of her. The beloved is happy, cheerful, and full of zest like a passionate horse. Even in a crowded place, the beloved's eyes are fixed only on her. The charming smiles are meant only for her. These scenes perfectly capture the romantic longings of a girl deeply in love.
It doesn't matter that the beloved's name is Pilar. It might be Mariel or Robin. It might be Marian or DingDong. It doesn't matter that Anita is in love with another girl. What matters is, of all the people she meets in the world, the beloved is the only one who makes her truly alive.
The alluring Pilar (Angel Aquino) is not new to the village. It is just that Anita was too small to remember her. Rumors fly over Pilar's hasty return from Dubai, where she worked as a physical therapist. Issues are raised over her non-appearance during the wake of her father. One villager who is happy to see her is her ex-boyfriend.
The fragrance of blossoming love pervades through the whole village. The scent is so strong you'll probably smell it while watching the film. I smell aroma from summertime flowers. I smell a freshly-bathed person. I smell intoxicating love.
Love is like a long sought after baby. It might take awhile. It might take a long, long time. For some, they need to endure countless dances, processions, and novenas. It may still not be bestowed despite litany of prayers. But once given, nurture it with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul.
Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita is a lovely, likable, lithesome film peppered with winning performances from the ensemble. It took some time for the film to come into fruition. It is a good thing director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo held on passionately to her 'baby' project. Upon receiving a grant from CineFilipino, she showered her 'baby' with the best care and love she can give. Her 'baby,' in return, gave birth to a confetti of accolades and awards including Best Picture at the CineFilipino competition.
