Till My Heartaches End

5/5

Not your typical Pinoy romance movie, this one’s brilliantly made and can go head to head with the well-loved classic, “One More Chance”.

Till My Heartaches End is the love story of a barista, Paolo (Gerald) who’s ambitious and somewhat over confident and falls in love with Agnes (Kim), a no-boyfriend-since-birth province lass who’s here in Manila to pass her Nursing licensure exam. The two first met on the cafe where Paolo was working. Destiny made its way and by chance they met again at Recto. Soon, they fell in love and everything seems to be going smoothly until Paolo finds a new job. As a Real Estate Agent, not only was he able to level up his living but also open himself up to a more high class crowd. An environment Agnes doesn’t feel she belonged. Conflicts arise in their relationship as Agnes feels more and more irrelevant and unimportant to his new world and Paolo for his part, felt his love is no longer enough to make her happy. In the face of these conflicts and struggles, will they be strong enough to fight for their love or will they give up and just move on? Will destiny still matter?

I’d like to begin this review with praises to the Director, Direk Joey Reyes for yet another masterpiece. He doesn’t only know what he wants, he captures them so perfectly. To me, that’s the true mark of a brilliant Director, being able to depict on silver screen the realities of human emotions without bias and exaggerations. This is his forte as a Director. He creates movies that are honest and sincere; movies that doesn’t give you the, this-only-happens-in-the-movies kind of feeling. As a film maker, he’s one of those we can call a true blue genius!

Viewers can easily relate to the story because of the wonderfully written script also by Direk Joey Reyes. The script’s rich insights of the human emotions draw viewers to be emotionally invested in the love story of Paolo and Agnes. Once again and I have to point this out, the biggest come on of the script is its use of genuine human emotions of kilig, hurt, frustrations, and disappointments. No sugar-coating, no corny cliché lines that makes Pinoy romance movies unbelievable and so untrue. The script of Till My Heartaches End is like any other Joey Reyes’ films were dialogues and conversations are plain, simple, and direct to the point. They were all constructed and chained in a manner that doesn’t make you feel as if you’re watching a movie at all. The story, the plot, and the script are all so believable.

This movie is a lot different from all the other local romance movies produced prior to it for it was successful in deviating from tradition. The movies’ narrative flows by the use of a third person technique. Where viewers are given access not only to the thoughts and emotions of the main characters but also with what the people outside their relationship (family and friends) thinks about Paolo and Agnes’ different personalities that greatly affects the relationship. I commend Direk Joey Reyes for using this technique and for flawlessly executing it in the big screen.

Above all, this movie is remarkable because unlike most of the romance movies Filipinos are accustomed to, this one doesn’t betray its characters and the story itself. There’s enough room for suspension of disbelief. At same time, it doesn’t give us a speedy ending that after all the conflicts the characters faced, something happens in an instant and their conflicts are magically resolved. Instead, it leaves the viewers an opportunity to create their own conclusion to the story. It leaves room for the imagination to decipher what really happened after the closing credits.

It’s also noteworthy to give due credits to the cast especially to the movie’s main stars Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. Their undeniable chemistry provided an easy vehicle for viewers to be instantly captivated with the appropriate emotions one should feel in every turning point of the narrative. Truly, these two actors have graduated as the teeny-teeny boppers we’ve known them to be. Gerald can really act as evident to his great portrayal of JR in the hit teleserye “Tayong Dalawa” and in his numerous MMK portrayals. Kim on the other hand is equally talented in acting. Her maturity and versatility as an actress has amazed not only her fans but her critics as well. She just needs the right material at the right time and who knows she can soon level with Bea Alonzo, acting wise. The ensemble of supporting characters also provided much enjoyment and essential acting in making the narrative more effective. Most notable supporting characters are those of Matet de Leon who’s very very brilliant as an actress! Desiree del Valle, Boots Anson Roa, Mark Gil, and Kakai Bautista are equally awesome in their roles.

After watching this movie, I have to say that among all the movies I’ve seen this year, Till My Heartaches End has got to be the one that touched my heart the most. It touched the deepest corners of my heart and I am being honest that writing this review proved to be an effort to me. I guess it’s pretty obvious that my next statement will be I highly recommend this movie to everyone but not because I relate too much with the story instead, because the movie is very good. One of the best films of its genre!
The movie will awaken in its viewers a lot of suppressed and repressed emotions we’ve already hidden/forgotten deep in our hearts. I’m sure anybody can relate and will remember someone after watching this movie. It reminds us what destiny is all about—an idea almost unfathomable but so true. It’s been written that our life here on earth is already pre-planned for us. All the people we meet, all the heartaches, all the experiences good and bad. And this movie proves to be a great reminder that while some things are built to last, some are bound to end. We just can’t help it for everything is destined in this life.

Eat Pray Love


5/5 

Exceptionally great and encompassing, Eat Pray Love is one of this year’s most remarkable films. A real must see!

Based on the bestselling book by Elizabert Gilbert, Eat Pray Love tells the story of a woman who despite of her almost perfect life feels confused, lost, and unhappy. Realizing that this is not what she wants, she gets a divorce, took a risk of leaving everything behind, and took off to a journey of finding herself again. From finding the “sweetness of doing nothing” at Italy, to discovering the peace of meditation in India, and finally finding the perfect balance to love again in Bali, Liz Gilbert shares one of the most compelling stories of self discovery.

I’d like to start by saying that  Eat Pray Love the book tops my list of favorite books ever since I've read it. I was very critical about this movie adaptation when I heard about it because I really want it to not turn out like other books to movie adaptations. I have to confess that as early as chapter 3 of the book I already thought that no one can ever play the role of Liz Gilbert but Julia Roberts. I can’t even think of any other actress who can play this role. It’s absolutely tailor made for her! I think Julia Roberts’ portrayal of Liz Gilbert is beyond words astonishingly amazing! The Oscar winning actress was perfect in every scene, in every emotion, in every line. Her mere presence in every frame is a spectacle in its own right. Julia Roberts is and will forever be THE ACTRESS!

What I love about Eat Pray Love the movie is that it stayed loyal to the book. I have to say that this is by far one of the best movie adaptations I have ever seen. The book is rich with deep expressions of emotions and devotions coming from the innermost corners of the heart. And it’s good that they took some of Gilbert’s remarkable lines to be part of the script. It made the script more authentic and believable. It’s always best to include the author herself in the production of the movie especially in building the framework of the script. I have to give due respect to the director, Ryan Murphy for a job well done as far as execution is concern.

One of the highlights of this movie is the breathtaking sceneries it was able to capture as it brings us to the romantic backdrop of Italy, culture-abundant India, and serenity of nature in Indonesia. I have to commend this movie’s cinematographer for the wonderful picturesque it was able to depict in the movie. I’d have to say that the only downside of here was when some of the story’s solemn, reflective power was lost in translation. It’s also noteworthy to say that some key turning points in the book weren’t part of the final movie like the time when Liz Gilbert went to Venice or including more of her reflections and how she resolved her conflict in terms of love before opening herself up again for it. But despite all these I have to say that this movie was thoroughly made and these are all but understandable considering that it’s really impossible to fit an almost 400 pages book into a 2-hour movie.

Eat Pray Love is a movie for people who can appreciate it because at some point he/she have gone through a somewhat similar situation in life. It is for someone who needed to get a way, for someone who needs change, for someone who for a moment needed to take risk and rearrange her life again. Eat Pray Love is for someone who needs the courage to step up, make a stand and let go of the past for the promise of a happier future. Its story may seem too self-gratifying at times, depending on how you look at it but the journey to self discovery that Liz Gilbert shared, of letting yourself go and finding YOU again is an honest and compelling attempt in embracing your innermost being.

Salute to Eat Pray Love!
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