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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Something Borrowed

I've seen this movie title in my best friend's computer files. I'm a little curious about it since I saw the trailer but I never had the chance to watch it. The movie is a film adaptation of Emily Giffin's novel with the same title and was released last year. Well, just recently I watched this movie after a heated conflict with one of my colleagues, hoping I'd get that "feel good" feeling I get in some romantic movies. So I watched it and turned out I was wrong. Terribly wrong.



The movie seemed complicated on how the characters make it too difficult to be with each other by hiding secrets and telling lies. The story was dragging that I'd really prayed that the movie would end in an hour. I felt awful about Rachel, played by Ginnifer Goodwin. She's a wimp, inferior...someone who can't decide for herself. And she's a lawyer for Christ's sake! How did she become a lawyer in the first place? Don't get me wrong. I don't mean any harm...but aren't lawyers supposed to be fighters? I just don't get it. For several years, she let her best friend, Darcy (Kate Hudson) overcome her. She hid in her best friend's shadows all her life and it took a lot of reality checks before she saw the big picture.

Her former crush and best friend's fiance, Dex (Colin Egglesfield), is a total douche bag. Rachel and Darcy don't deserve a person like him. He's not man enough to have his own decisions. It seems that he's just playing along with the women. I don't even know why (after all what happened...after Rachel finally got to see her flaws and be with her best friend) she still chose to be with the guy. It's terrible. I actually believe that she's better off with Ethan (John Krasinski). Both women deserve someone better.

The characters have hidden affection for each other and the whole scenario seemed to be a big rat race full of regrets, silenced words and unrequited love. Maybe this kind of scenario happens in real life but if it really exists, I don't want to be in any way part of it. It's too complicated, drastic and pathetic. And all for the sake of what they call "love". 

But love doesn't ONLY exist in romantic relationships. It also exists in your relationship with the people around you...your friends. Friends should be seen as your equal and not a competition or whatsoever. If I will be given a choice between my best friend and a former crush, I'd choose my best friend...every time. I'd choose to be straightforward and honest with my best friend. She won't get away with something that will make me truly happy and I would be the same to her. It's a pact of trust and loyalty. Lying to her would eat me up and foreseeing how badly she'll get hurt if I do this/that would totally break my heart. 

I guess love can be Something Borrowed. If you can't pay it, better return it.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Unofficially Yours

No strings attached, no 3rd party, no parental objection, no peer pressure.
So how do you make a conflict out of a seemingly perfect love story?
The story tells about two people who had their hearts broken before.
One, came from an 8-year long relationship but is ready to face the challenges again of a new love.
The other, left by the man she loved for 5 years, has closed her doors and let her fear of loving again grow within her.

My friend and I, watched this movie a few days ago. He could deeply relate with the story and he was almost close to tears when he remembered his loved one. (how I envy him. haha)
 It's a feel good movie. Although I can't fully relate to it, I remembered a lot of my friends in this same scenario. (Not being unofficially someone else's but making sacrifices or letting go of opportunities just to be with their loved one.) And since I can't really relate to it, I can only give you some reasons why you should/should not watch it because I don't want to spoil it all for you.  Here it goes:

Why You Should Watch It
1. You (for men) can find the girl of your dreams in this movie: Beautiful and Hot Angel Locsin. (maybe one of her daring movies?)
2. It tells you not to give up on your dreams and to grab every opportunity. Don't hold back because your loved one says so. Remember: If he/she loves you, they will let you "grow".
3. As what of my friends would say. "Love conquers all, even fear."

Why You Shouldn't Watch It
1. The characters are too good to be true. (I don't mean the looks.) They have no flaws in this movie, especially the male character.
Mackie Galvez is played by John Lloyd Cruz, portrayed as your typical guy-next -door: VERY nice, VERY charming (seems perfect to me).
Angel Locsin is Ces (short for Princess. i don't know what her last name is). She is the PERFECT girlfriend material: beautiful, sexy, independent and career-driven. You can actually wrap her in a box and give to your mommy.

Some would actually compare this movie with Friends With Benefits. Well, they're somewhat alike with the "let's-have-sex-but-we-are-not-committed" part but I think it's more similar with the movie No Strings Attached (gawd. maybe I should make a review about this too. this was released last year). The same concept of believing that two people can have a non-committal-only-sex relationship in the beginning but found themselves falling in love with each other in the end. (When I think about it, they are ALMOST the same)




P.S. I must say the movie poster is the best I've seen in Filipino romantic comedy movies.

*Official movie poster from Star Cinema