I’ll keep things straight, Jason Paul Laxamana’s reunion project with JC Santos and Bela Padilla is an unconventional romantic movie that gives love a whole new meaning. It’s not an ideal story that will satisfy your craving for a happy ending, but it is more empowering than heading in that direction.
Laxamana screws the sugar-coated boy-meets-girl, woos her, till they ride off and elope premise as the movie talks about personal issues and overcoming someone’s monster.
In The Day After Valentine’s, Bela plays Lani, a simple girl who likes “broken things” and Baybayin, Filipino ancient alphabetic writing system. While JC plays Kai, a guy who’s having a hard time moving on from his past relationship. On a whim, they decide to hang out together on Valentine’s day.
Bela portrays a confident woman who seems to have the answers to questions about life, probably what Kai, a distraught man who’s been away from his family who lives in Hawaii, needs to fix his life after a terrible breakup.
While it’s easy to like Lani as a character, the same thing cannot be said of Kai who discovers that Lani, just like himself at the beginning of the story, is broken, too. And that’s the beauty of the characters Laxamana created which the actors convincingly portrayed.
As the story concludes, it’s made to defy convention and break away from the usual, giving us new takes on what love can be. It’s always great to witness the unexpected and to be a part of a journey that stands out from the rest.
While it highlights that romance can be depicted onscreen without sex and too much intimacy, the strength of the film lies in its simplicity. Although a few scenes are dragging and can be edited out without sacrificing the logical flow of the story, it’s uncomplicated plot forces, viewers, to look deeper into the characters’ complexities and the meaningful messages embedded in their dialogues.
The Day After Valentine’s, shot mainly in the breathtaking islands of Hawaii, brings all kinds of mood and vibes on screen, which sends the audience on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Add to that the heart-tugging soundtracks, which include: “Akala” by Marion Aunor; “Taguan” by John Roa; “Pag-ibig Lang” by The Juans; “Feel” by Jameson Tenorio and Ian Ancajas; and “For the Rest of My Life” by Bela Padilla.
Produced by VIVA Films, The Day After Valentine ’s is rated PG by the MTRCB and Graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB). It’s an official entry to the 2018 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino and is now available in theaters nationwide.