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| Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber star in "Loving In Tandem" |
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| Screenshots from the trailer |
"Loving In Tandem" follows the story of Shine (Maymay Entrata), a positive and determined girl who will do everything for her family. She meets the balikbayan Luke (Edward Barber) in the most unusual circumstance and later on finds herself experiencing various stages of love – as they get closer. With a bit of a language barrier getting in the way (or not, really), the two accidentally put themselves in an awkward (but nonetheless, kilig!) situation when Luke announced in their entire barangay that Shine is his “JOWA". Will the language of their hearts triumph over whatever differences Shine and Luke have? How will they change each other’s lives? [Source: Star Cinema]
To be honest, everything about the movie's look, from the poster to the trailers, made me think of the movie as just another generic romcom. It has all the makings of the typical Star Cinema movie we saw years before: from the badly photo-shopped poster, to that soundtrack that will pound your ears every time the two lovers would have a sweet moment, to the newly minted teen stars in it's lead. But surprisingly, the film exceeded my expectations.
When I watched the film, I actually had no idea what the story of the film would be. The trailers that Star Cinema released featured some of the best moments of the film but doesn't reveal much of the movie's plot. I think Star Cinema has learned the art of making a good trailer because the ones they're releasing now are mostly vague and short but has enough stuff to attract the curiosity of people to actually see the movie. So if you haven't watched the film, you should stop right here because of spoilers ahead. Shine, played by Maymay Entrata, is your typical romcom heroine: jolly, hardworking, has a big love for her family, and yeah, financially challenged. In dire need of money for the medical expenses of her sick nephew, she ends up joining a gang of thieves. This is where she encounters Luke, played by Edward Barber, a FilAm boy who was sent to the Philippines to be with his mother after his father died in the States. After several twists and turns, their paths crosses one another which led to a wacky and kilig-filled journey where the two of them learn and understand the value of family, friends, and one's self.
The twists and turns of the film sometimes comes out unbelievable and mostly far fetched. This is the reason why I initially had the feeling as if I'm watching a Wattpad love story adapted into a movie. But despite the implausibilities of the film's story, it slowly becomes simple and acceptable along the way. Like most of Star Cinema's films, it highlights the value of family. Both characters have to deal with issues with their own families. Luke hates his mother for leaving him and his father when he was young so now, he doesn't want to have any relationship with her and his step-brothers. Instead, he wants to go back to the States and live by himself. On the other hand, Shine has to support her over-dependent older brother (played by Ketchup Eusebio) and his family. Luke's story is already familiar with us, but it was Shine's subplot is the one that really stick with you. It was the first time I saw this kind of story used in a Star Cinema movie and it was so refreshing. She feared that if she stop supporting his brother and his family, they will stop loving her because she doesn't have any worth any more for them. It was really heartbreaking, but so true. I for one can relate to her character in so many ways. I also liked the way the story wrapped because it was hysterically funny but not too over the top unlike some movies. The ending was simple, but it was effective and it doesn't feel so forced nor rushed nor corny (remember the cringe-worthy final shot My Ex and Whys?). And that made it so memorable for me.
The film may come off a bit over-the-top during it's first few minutes because of it's twists and turns. But it's simple moments that really shine out the most. The film is more effective when it doesn't try too hard, and instead, just rely to it's likable characters to carry the rest of the movie. Kisses Delevin and Marco Gallo turned out to be okay in their very first film outing. They have their own kilig moments and although Marco may need to work more on his acting skills, the two of them were able to carry their characters pretty well. Ryan Bang has never been this funny and adorable. Edward Barber was actually good for a first time, given that he didn't have any background in acting (like his partner). His role really fits him and the story, so despite those awkward moments when he tries to speak in Tagalog in his foreign accent, it was still acceptable. But the real star of the show is Maymay Entrata who single-handedly carries the rest of the film with her committed performance. She gives out all her best, making her portrayal of Shine believable and really entertaining. Honestly, she's like a female version of Joshua Garcia, and has a great future ahead of her when it comes to acting, given the right people and the right material to work with.
I'm not gonna lie, this movie is way more romantic than most of Star Cinema's recent releases. I was literally shrieking out of delight and kilig all throughout the film. Maymay and Edward has a tremendous amount of chemistry between the two of them. And director Giselle Andres knows exactly how to bring that chemistry out of the two. The screen is oozing with kilig whenever they're together.
"Loving In Tandem" is one unexpected treat that is sweet, charming, funny and undeniably entertaining. Star Cinema definitely hit the right notes with this movie. It promises kilig, and you will definitely get what you've paid for.
Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ of 5
"Loving In Tandem" (2017)
Directed by Giselle Andres,
starring Maymay Entrata & Edward Barber
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