BEAUTY  AND  THE  BEACH

MANILA, MAY 5, 2008 (STAR) By Phillip Cu-Unjieng - Film review: When Love Begins

A co-production of Star Cinema and Viva Entertainment, When Love Begins stars Aga Muhlach and Anne Curtis as star-crossed lovers, reaching for each other over the gulf of an age gap, differences in priorities in life, and differences in basic philosophies over what constitutes a relationship and reason for living. With screenplay and direction by Jose Javier Reyes, and an opening set in Boracay, the film is a gorgeously shot reminder of how people who seem set in life, and live amidst a flurry of expensive holidays, Makati offices, strong professional dedication, and well-appointed homes, also traverse the rocky road of love and life. Benedicto (Muhlach) is a lawyer by profession, who because of one case, has now set his sights on doing only “good,” and works for an NGO, the Mother Earth Movement, an organization dedicated to environment conservation and protection. On holiday in Boracay, he chances upon Mich (Curtis), a 23-year-old, who at the outset, seems to be the epitome of the carefree spirit, enjoying her beach weekend with a bevy of friends, staying at Discovery Shores on Station 1. It’s obvious Ben is smitten and the “older man falls for younger girl” plotline neatly falls in place. Sleeping with Ben on the beach the night before she heads back to Manila, Mich quietly leaves him in the wee hours of the morning, and he awakens to find his “budding love” has disappeared without even a phone number with which he can contact her in Manila.

Back to Manila, and it’s here that the film picks up pace and the screenplay develops into a mature, multi-layered story about relationships, the integral role family will always play in a Filipino setting, and how each of our protagonists have their issues to confront when it comes to relationship building. Ben finds that caring for and protecting the love he has found in Mich can be as tricky as caring for and protecting the environment — and this is succinctly pointed out to him by his NGO co-workers (ingenue actress and PBB “veteran” Dionne Monsanto and AJ Dee).

The major conflict comes later on in the form of Mich’s father (Christopher de Leon) being the real estate developer behind a project coldheartedly altering the topography to make way for a new subdivision, at the expense of a small village. When Ben’s NGO takes up the cudgels for the village, and Mich keeps the role of her father a secret from Ben, battle lines are inevitably drawn and hard choices are made. To complicate matters, at this same juncture, Ben’s mother (Boots Anson-Roa), is diagnosed with stage three cancer.

As aforementioned, the lush Boracay setting, the high rise Makati offices and expensive homes are captured effectively, giving the film a very genuine gloss and shine. The support cast to the Ben and Mich story is top-rate. Ronaldo Valdez, Rafael Rosell, Dimples Romana, Angel Jacob, Mandy Ochoa, Desiree del Valle, they all make the most of their moments on screen, ably parlaying their roles and adding texture to the central story.

What I found especially strong are the scenes between Aga and Anne when there isn’t any dialogue. Aga’s facial expressions have always been very effective, and it’s great to see Anne also emoting successfully without relying on any spoken words.

The chemistry sparking between the two characters is best seen when they’re quiet, when the war of words and differences in outlook on life and love aren’t vented in speeches.

If I have any complaints, it would be the somewhat heavy-handed attack Christopher uses for his role as Mich’s father, but that’s merely a matter of taste. What to me seemed like a Mano Po/Donald Trump influence had him spouting out his lines with a little too much bluster. While most of the Boracay scenes work, I found some inconsistency, as we’d suddenly get very short scenes or angle shots that didn’t seem to do justice to the location.

But all in all, this is a triumphant turn on the big screen for Aga and Anne; their separation scene is very poignant, as are the scenes of Aga at his mother’s hospital bedside. Aga and Anne have much to be proud about with in the film, and the audience at the screening I attended, was very receptive and showed empathy — laughing when Mich would allow Ben to kiss her, being a “brat” with heart, and when Ben would betray moments of confusion with the kind of spirit Mich possessed.