Paano Kita Iibigin?

Let me just say, for the record, that I am a fan of Regine Velasquez and Piolo Pascual. While my admiration for the latter seems to need no explanation (as we say in law, res ipsa loquitor), I often find myself at the defensive end when asked about Regine. As this particular blog is not all about her, let's just say that I believe that Regine is a true superstar, who has crossed-over from not only being a singer, but also an actress. Not a great one, mind you, but one popular and likeable enough for people to want to watch her movies. For reference, there are only three other singers who have managed the transition: Nora Aunor, Sharon Cuneta (and only if you consider her a singer first, via Mr. DJ) and Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard). Beyonce does not count, yet, because she has not made a movie truly her own. Jennifer Hudson stole Dreamgirls from her. Let me also cite some of those who tried but failed to make the transition: Madonna, Kuh Ledesma, Lea Salonga. Thus, while I may not approve of Regine's transformation from simple Bulacan lass to an English-speaking-with-a-twang person ( I blame Ronnie Henares for that) and her choice of men (past and present), that does not detract from her greatness. In the same manner, Michael Jackson's present er.. incarnation will not erase his moonwalking previous self from our collective consciousness and the annals of music history.

But I digress. I am especially a fan of the movies that Regine and Piolo have done, separately, and with different partners, with Bb. Joyce. In particular, I loved:

1. Dahil May Isang Ikaw with Aga Muhlach and Regine, the first of their 2 movies together (the better one, if you ask me);
2. Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw with Robin Padilla and Regine;
3. 'Til There Was You, with Piolo and Juday; and
4. Don't Give Up on Us, again with Piolo and Juday.

Thus, it was with much anticipation that I watched Paano Kita Iibigin yesterday, which featured both Piolo and Regine and had Bb. Joyce Bernal at the helm.

It sucked. No wonder PowerPlant isn't showing it anymore. And can you believe that ABS isn't even running one of those obviously self-serving ads saying that the movie is on its second week and that it is still showing in 100 theaters nationwide and is breaking box-office records!

What was wrong with it?

1. Regine is a tad too old for Piolo. It's like that Sharon-Aga movie a few years back. You can't ask moviegoers to suspend their disbelief even on this point. One look at the two of them together should have warranted a script revision - an explanation why Piolo, who's previous girlfriend/wife was Iya Villania, would be drawn to Regine.

2. Piolo was crying 3/4 of the movie. I mean, c'mon, one of these days, Piolo will set the record as the leading man who has cried the most in Pinoy movies. He was crying so much no one could understand what he was saying in the penultimate scene, when he and Regine were supposed to be working out their differences before the obligatory wedding scene in the end.

3. Ogie Alcasid proved too much of a distraction to the movie. When people looked at Regine, they thought 'omg, kawawa naman si michelle.'

The big loser in this movie is Regine. How ironic that when she did Wanted Perfect Mother, the one complaint I had in the movie was that Christoper de Leon was too old for her. Now, she's the old one. Her character was never fully threshed out in the movie, so viewers never identified with her. It's not because she's not moviestar pretty. Juday isn't, nor was Nora Aunor in her prime, but that never stopped people from believing that Piolo and Pip could fall in love with them. Remember that this movie was billed not just as a typical boy-meets-girl love story, but rather posed a complication. What if one party was carrying so much baggage that he was incapable of loving someone else? (hence the title) In their desire to make Piolo lovable despite his emotional hang-ups, the scriptwriter and the director forgot to make Regine lovable as well, not only in Piolo's eyes but more importantly, with the moviegoers.

On the bright side, Piolo was his usual gorgeous self. Eugene Domingo and Quintin Alianza (who played Regine's son) were scene-stealers and provided the only bright spots to an otherwise too melodramatic movie.

On a personal note, let me just say that I love 3-day weekends. It gives me an opportunity to write about things without referencing the SCRA and to find a blog like this, which gives an insight on Direk Joyce.