No Surprises Here

Miss You Like Crazy takes a shot at destiny. And when it comes into play, there is really no getting away with it. Giveaway na ang ending. Wala nang sorpresa na naghihintay pa sa manonood. You just sort of get into the ride and witness how the characters get through their goals. Minsan thrilling ang ride. Minsan bored to death ang aabutin mo.

Destiny ang pinaglaruan ng pelikula, yet it is the same thing that drags it to fiery holes of hell.

For one thing, MYLC suffers from the lack of substance in characterization. It relies too much on the John Lloyd Cruz-Bea Alonzo team-up, forgetting that we, its audience, should still have reasons to like them as a couple. Parang naging given na na we should root for them and cheer as they get back together in the end, no matter how ordinary or flawed their characters are. So anuman ang pagdaanan nila sa pelikula, whether we like it or not, it is destined that they should be together.

In the beginning we meet Allan (JLC), seryoso at propesyonal. Riding on the Pasig River ferry, he meets the quirky Mia (Bea) who likes writing her thoughts on rocks and leaves them behind. (After a while iisipin mo kung gaano kaya kabigat ang bag ni Mia with all those rocks in it!) Allan picks them up. (Hobby niya, probably.) Bukod pa ru'n, hilig rin ni Mia na ihagis ang Nagaraya nuts at sapuhin ng kanyang bibig. Wala naman talagang saysay ito sa kanyang buhay o pagkatao. Trip niya lang (or feeling juggler siya siguro).

Of course, dahil sa trip niyang iyon, Allan is smitten by her. Minsan sa ferry ride, Mia cries (na trip niya ring gawin paminsan-minsan sa ferry, not minding the people around her). She writes on a rock, leave it on a chair, and leaves. Allan picks it up and reads "Goodbye world!" Thinking that she might kill herself, Allan runs after Mia and stops her. Only that Mia is not contemplating suicide pala. Natawa lang siya sa ginawa ni Allan. (Later on di na natin malalaman kung bakit nga ba sinulat ni Mia ang statement na 'yun. Probably nagti-trip lang uli.)

After the ride Mia follows Allan and apologizes for her behavior. She treats him lugaw sa tabi-tabi. Magic happens. (If you're a Star Cinema movie follower, you'd know that eating in turo-turo creates magic to the would-be lovers on screen. Tulad ito ng Magic Kamison ng Regal Films kung saan ang lugaw o isaw o kung ano pa man ay parang pana ni Kupido.) With such lugaw acting as gayuma, Allan and Mia will fall in love!

Given na rin naman ang nangyaring iyon for an old man had already predicted years ago that Mia will meet a man on a ferry who's wearing eye glasses and falls in love with him. Hindi nga lang magiging madali ang journey nila. But on February 24, 2010, they will be reunited.

Ang problema: Allan is in a relationship with the high-maintenance Daphne (Maricar Reyes). Learning about her, Mia becomes uneasy. Alam niya ang sakit na dulot ng pangangaliwa for her father is a philanderer. Yet she gives in to Allan's desires and open-mouthed kisses! They made love on the stairs.

Mia feels guilty about what happened. She tries to leave, but Allan tells her that he will do something about the situation. She should wait for him at the ferry the next day.

Allan, after being in a relationship for four years with Daphne, realizes that he isn't compatible with her. He breaks up with her, but never bothered showing up at the ferry the next day.

Hurt, Mia leaves for Malaysia. Soon after Allan goes there and looks for Mia. Kaya lang, nagbago na ang sitwasyon. Si Mia naman ang may sabit at may anak-anakan pa. He tries to woo her back, but it is futile. Mia wants to honor her commitment to her Malaysian fiance, Mir. Allan returns home.

On February 24, 2010, Mir lets Mia go. Feeling kasi nito ay napipilitan lang si Mia na makisama sa kanya. Mia comes home and returns to Allan.

Interesante ang first half ng MYLC kahit pa may mga characterization flaws. Subalit on its second half, naging drag me to hell na siya! Kabi-kabilang kadramahan when you already know kung saan naman talaga tutungo ang pelikula. It drags for so long na hindi mo na makuhang ma-excite pa sa pinagdadaanan ng bida.

Making a choice is centered on Allan's character: between Daphne and Mia. Only that alam naman natin na si Mia ang pipiliin niya dahil sa umpisa pa lang, hindi na naging maganda ang characterization ni Daphne. Simula pa lang, bitchy girlfriend na ang dating niya. So sino nga ba naman ang gugustuhing siya ang makatuluyan?

With Mia, mas mabigat ang choices sa kanya dahil may nasang-ayunang siyang kasal kay Mir at may involve na anak-anakan pa. Pero hindi naman talaga nai-focus ang hirap niya sa pagpili. We never get to see her struggles with her relationship with Mir na isang mabait at responsableng lalaki. When she leaves him, hindi niya isinaalang-alang ang feelings ng kanyang anak-anakan. Parang naging kasangkapan lang ang bata at walang naging matinding hold sa kung anumang desisyon ang dapat niyang gawin. In the end, si Mir pa rin ang nagdesisyon na makipaghiwalay sa kanya. Asan ang sinasabing paghihirap niya?

Allan and Mia may have shared sweet moments together at the start, pero hindi 'yun sapat para gustuhin kong magkatuluyan sila. To hell with destiny! Give me something more to hold on to.

MYLC is Star Cinema's take on My Sassy Girl: simple-minded guy meets a quirky girl. (Madaming elements ang kinuha ng movie sa MSG.) Fate din ang tinatalakay ng MSG, but it wasn't rubbed on the audience's faces. There was subtlety and and the element of surprise in the end.

Ang MSG, maraming pa-cute scenes subalit may saysay. Ang MYLC ay tadtad ng pa-cutan subalit hanggang sa pagpapa-cute level lang. Andya'n ang mga bato, ang mga balloon, ang Divisoria briefs, ang Nagaraya, etc.

Kung Pinoy MSG din lang, sa Say You Love Me na lang ako ng Regal Films!