This is a
story of an iskandalosa meets a burgis
Let me tell you upfront that this is the HUGOT film of the year. Most chick-flicks
revolve around the blossoming of love. Others focus in the moving on process.
This ‘feelm’ tried to cross those boundaries and let everyone know that both of
them can’t just happen on the same day.
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People around me know that I’m a One
More Chance hater. Don’t get me wrong. I love CGM’s My Amnesia Girl and A Very
Special Love but I found Popoy and Basha’s story sappy and overhyped. Tadhana
had the same theme but like in (500) Days of Summer, it knows how
to balance the agony and goodness of moving on. It feels sincere and natural.
The conversations are funny and helpful in illustrating how these characters’
affection for each other are developing. It never went over-the-top. It’s
always in the middle… because that’s life. The script tries to jumble these
expositions, like the ‘Arrow and the Heart’ story, in an exciting way. *Spoiler
ahead* I love the open-ended epilogue. It felt like an unfinished CGM film that ended before the “John Lloyd Move”. You have the power to make
your own ending like what the guy did to the girl’s book.
Angelica Panganiban (Mace) is so
versatile. Last year, I saw her as the notorious China Doll. Now, she’s back in
being a babaeng bakla. Congratulations for being the back-to-back Best
Actress! One momentous moment happened when I saw this film. I was able to ask
Antoinette Jadaone in the Q&A about the original casting. I asked that
question because I strongly feel that JM De Guzman’s (Anthony) role is written for John Lloyd Cruz. He
really has that silent but understanding look. As Mace said in the film, “Siya
ang iiyak para sa’yo.” JM got that JLC-effect perfectly. The writing and chemistry were perfectly aligned. It doesn't matter if they cast famous actors because the script felt real. However, there was a part that lost the heat. The art exhibit scene could've used a tighter editing.
“You don’t
move on. You just become a bigger person until that void doesn’t feel as big.”
- Dagitab
Wanna know my favourite part of the film? It’s when they’re eating
hotdogs and Mace is telling Anthony every memory she had with her ex. Damn! That
was so relatable. Every time I hear the “Tadhana” from Up Dharma Down, I
remember a girl that I courted because she always sing that song when we were in college. She actually won a contest for it. What happened to
us? Ayun, friendzone. But still. Even if we didn’t have the eight years that Mace
and her ex had, even if we didn’t have a day, my memories of her were imprinted
in that song. Now, I just laugh at how ridiculous I was before. Maybe that’s also
the point of the film. To let us laugh at the past, enjoy the present and plan
for the future.
That Thing Called Tadhana will remind us of our forgotten
memories and thank them for they led us down to where we are today.
Best way to forget your ex? Eat bacon.
BACONTASTIC 4.5/5!
I also want to include in this review that I was inspired by Antoinette's humbling answer to a question raised in the Q&A. We should watch Filipino movies if we aspire to be a filmmaker. I want to be in those shoes someday and I hope for the awareness of good Filipino movies. There are a lot of them. It's just that most widely-distributed movies today are nonsense. I wish that these festivals could reach provinces and that mainstream production companies will not discourage them. To the future!
Tama na yan, kantahan na!
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if you enjoy the review. Thanks for reading! J
