NOT YOUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL LOVE STORY

I'm not a fan of Star Cinema movies.

For me their movies are just but an extension of TV soap operas. To borrow a better analogy they're like extended Shampoo commercials. I mean if you splice their different movies together, I bet you that you'll never be able to tell the difference. You've seen one, you've seen them all.

So I was actually surprised that a friend was able to convince me to watch this movie... and my verdict... I LIKE IT. I'm actually happy with this movie.

It's a technically sound movie. It had a very fluid cinematography complimented by great editing from Tara Illenberger. But the highlight is actually the acting and the direction. Maricel was not your usual Maricel, her actings's very restrained and effective. Angelica was also good. They're very good with their characterization. I actually believe them... I actually believed that they're characters can be real people and not just an extension of characters from ABSCBN's tiresome soap-operas.

It's not your usual "LOVE TRIANGLE" story. Here the "mistress" is actually older and mature while the real wife is "younger" and more attractive. "But what made the husband love the other woman?" is the movie's triumph on how it was able to effectively show this point of the story without resorting to cliches and histrionics. The dialogues are melodramatic... but what can we expect from a melodrama, right. Simply put, the movie's a well made melodrama.

More than anything, I think what made this movie exceptional from the Star Cinemas' run-of-the-mill was the able direction of Maryo J De Los Reyes. I mean if this was given to Manong Gilbs, or Binibining Joyce or Direk Chito I honestly don't think that they would be able to pull it off. This is a triumph of the director more than anybody else.

It's Vintage De Los Reyes really, he had good grasp of his material and he was able to get the best out of his actors. Mark Gil is just amazing!!!

The movie is something that you've seen before... but that doesn't mean that it cannot be good. It's a satisfying love story... not great, just good... and not your run-of-the-mill.