January 5, 2024
Azon (Vilma Santos) worked as a housekeeper at a hotel in Chiba Prefecture. Even if she was unmarried, she still sent money home to her brother Marlon (Gabby Eigenmann), whom she trusted to build her house in Manila. She was also supporting the education of her niece Hannah (Cassy Legaspi) and Drew (John Gabriel). On Azon's birthday, she was brought by her co-workers Sonia (Kakai Bautista) and Anita (Lynn Cruz) for a night of fun.
Joey (Christopher de Leon) owned his own flower and vegetable farm, also in Chiba, which he ran with his best friend Akira (Jackie Woo). His marriage from his wife Susan (Gina Alajar) had been annulled for several years. His daughter Charlene (Lotlot de Leon) already had a teenage son Jomar (Darren Espanto). On Joey's birthday, Akira treated Joey out to the same nightclub, where he saw Azon and friends making a scene with their noisy drunk dancing.
Honestly, based on the trailer, this film was not exactly among my priorities. I thought the plot would just take the usual obvious rom-com route. However, during the MMFF Awards Night, this film pulled a big surprise by bagging an unprecedented accolade for "4th Best Picture," while Vilma Santos won Best Actress from out of the blue. Because of this, I became very curious about this film directed by duo Rommel Penesa and Conrado Peru.
So indeed, the two senior protagonists meet under unpleasant circumstances, to the point of calling each other "bru" (short for "bruha" or witch). However, as expected, they began to like each other when they got to know each other better, then eventually fall in love. Despite being the overdone romance cliches that they were, these scenes were the best parts -- so sweet and heartwarming. I was smiling, laughing and actually tearing up in spite of myself.
I would have wanted the film to end when Azon and Joey got married dressed in kimonos. The story already felt perfect told as it was at that point. However, there turned out to be another hour worth of story left to tell. The delightful senior-citizen romantic comedy turned into a totally different movie, albeit also a familiar Pinoy film story -- a melodrama about illnesses. Predictable and sappy, this part of the movie was not my cup of tea anymore.
Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon had done more than 20 films together, the last one being "Mano Po 3" (2004). Santos at 70 and de Leon at 67 looked very good, still able to elicit romantic thrills with their killer onscreen chemistry. Santos was as winsome as ever, so cute, always a contender for Best Actress. De Leon was very dashing, so cool and relaxed. His acoustic guitar version of Apo Hiking's "When I Met You" can still make titas swoon. 6/10.
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