A List of Modern Filipino Breakup Movies

A List of Modern Filipino Breakup Movies

(Which I have seen.)

Back in college, we had this content analysis project in one of our research courses where we choose anything to content analyze. I've always liked dramatic and creative movies, so I content analyzed Wong Kar Wai's film trilogy. Now, I present to you some of the Filipino breakup movies I have seen in the past and in recent times (with this quarantine period and me going through post-breakup blues). For this list, I will be focusing on movies with one central theme: painful breakups. I'm not going to include movies with breakup scenes no matter how good they were, because in every RomCom or plain romantic film, there will always be that separation that will bring back the main characters together. For that reason, I decided to exclude It Takes a Man and a Woman even though it had a nice take on breakups too.

 Ready to see my list? Please remember that this list is not ranked. And you do not need to read everything I wrote. Just take your pick.

ALERT: Spoilers ahead for those who still haven't seen some of these movies!

My Ex and Why's (2017)

I have seen this movie a handful of times on Cinema One. If you're young or if you've just experienced your first breakup, this movie would be a good fit for you since it took a youthful, Gen Z approach on breakups. Older generations might not appreciate this breakup movie and call it 'shallow'. It's about Cali (Liza Soberano) and Gio (Enrique Gil), who had a sweet relationship while they were younger and they broke up due to an unfortunate, drunken [and implied] one night stand Gio had with his road manager. Some time later, Cali and Gio's path cross again due to Cali's popular rants about men and love on Twitter and their mutual friend's upcoming Korean wedding.

What I liked about this movie is how Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil's tandem began to grow professionally as actors. As a girl, I really felt Cali's pain in that intense confrontation scene when Gio just said that he only made one small mistake. What most guys do not understand is that girls take breakups as a blow on their self esteem, especially when there is cheating implied or directly experienced. And while some viewers can relate in how Cali wanted to get even with Gio, it's also noteworthy how revenge can never really solve anything. It only made things worse and affected other people (Ryan Bang's character) along the way. Don't you dare get even, boys and girls.

My Amnesia Girl (2010)

This is one of the most iconic romantic films in modern Philippine mainstream cinema. I also loved how they used Noel Cabangon's song "Di Na Natuto" in that one train scene. Anyway, the movie is about Irene and Apollo, who met at a Speed Dating event and instantly fell in love with each other. They were about to get married when Apollo runs away from the altar and ditches his wedding with Irene. Years later, their paths cross at a grocery store and Irene fakes an amnesia, claiming that she had an accident and is not able to remember what happened in the past. Apollo believes this, but tries to win her heart back and makes up for the pain he has caused on Irene. 

Some guys really do overestimate their capacity to commit into a relationship. Apollo wasn't ready for marriage, and he ran away at the last minute. Irene's actions (including the amnesia excuse) were justifiable. But true enough, even when the brain forgets, the heart remembers. So they got back together in the end...with a twist. Apollo acquired amnesia due to a tragic car accident as he was driving to Irene to declare his love for her once again. I didn't think it was necessary, though. It feels like the conflict between the two of them was never really resolved given that Apollo had amnesia and they were back to square one.

Last Fool Show (2019) 

What's a good Pinoy romantic movie without Arci Munoz in it? Mayessa is a budding film director and she wants to make it big in the film industry. However, she faces the challenge of audience reception and ditches her indie film idea for a romantic comedy. She figures she could make a movie about her own love story...about how she fell in love with Paolo, a software developer whom she met by chance encounter all because both of them were stalking their partners. Kind of like In The Mood for Love (2000), but with Filipino comedic themes. While seeking revenge on their exes, Mayessa and Paolo fell in love with each other. Later on, it was revealed that Paolo left Mayessa without saying goodbye even when they planned to go to the States together and start anew. Mayessa and Paolo's reunion went rough, but they got back together in the end and Mayessa was able to pursue her indie film dreams.

There are so many parallels in this movie. It talks about film when it is a film in itself and it even criticizes the Filipino film industry. There are two waves of breakups in different timelines, too. I liked the confrontation scene the most when Mayessa was all out honest about what she went through when Paolo left. Her words were on fire and made Paolo dumbfounded. Sometimes, one needs to be logical in giving someone else a second chance or when simply forgiving someone. And Mayessa was wise enough to point out that there is no guarantee Paolo would never hurt or leave her again. While both of them got hurt, Paolo was challenged and stood firm in showing Mayessa that a person could change for the better. Forgiveness doesn't need to be immediate. It comes in the right time, and it is even better when both of your hearts are already prepared for it.

Para Sa Broken Hearted (2018)

Triple breakup stories intertwined in one movie. The intro in this movie, which showed how people cope with breakups, was a bit funny since it hits close to home. Jackie (Shy Carlos) and Kath (Louise delos Reyes) unexpectedly meet each other at a bus terminal as they wait for the bus bound for Baguio City. I don't know, but if you'd want to go on a breakup getaway in the Philippines, movies would always suggest the cool breeze of Baguio City. Jackie recalls how she fell in love with RJ (Well, who wouldn't fall for Marco Gumabao?) and how RJ cheated on her all because she loved him too much and "nakakasakal na". Ouch, familiar! And then here comes Kath, devastated about her ex-boyfriend and meets Dan (Sam Concepcion), who is also missing his ex-girlfriend. It was revealed later in the movie that Dan and Kath hung out together, got infatuated with one another, but then Kath's ex called her to meet up. Marupok as she is, Kath went to meet her ex only to be slapped into the reality that her ex has found someone new already. Hopeful for a fresh start, she rushes to Dan, but Dan refuses since he also has huge emotional baggage from the past. And I am not kidding about the "huge" part.

I won't delve into the plot twist this movie brought. But it was surely entertaining and hits you right in the ~feels~. Misery indeed loves company. You are not the only one suffering from heartbreak in this world, and somehow, it's quite comforting to be aware of that fact. People who share tears with you during your painful experiences are treasures you must keep for life, even when you've just met them at a bus terminal. Aside from that, this movie showed how healing is rough but manageable, especially when the world opens you up to various possibilities of hope.

Can We Still Be Friends? (2017)

Broke up with your ex of a decade? 8 years? 5 years? 3 years? Someone you almost ended up marrying? Well, this movie is perfect for you! Digs (Gerald Anderson) and Sam (Arci Munoz) shared a blissful 8 years of being together to the point that they have been living in a condo unit together and they share lots of memories and things together. Sam has this wish of finally marrying Digs, but Digs seems to be unstable and doesn't know what he really wants in life. Digs' chill personality eventually frustrates Sam, who is a thrill-seeker and an idealist. After a heated fight, they decide to break up. They try to move on separately, but it seems like they could not cut each other out of their lives...especially when they still live together (yep, nobody decided to move out) amidst the breakup.

Fights are normal in a romantic relationship. It even means that both of you are actively working on the relationship to work and for both of you to grow. But when multiple frustrations pile up and both of you do not communicate these frustrations well to each other, then that's when the breakup comes in.  Always remember that your partner is NOT a mind-reader, no matter how many years both of you have known and loved each other. This movie shows how long term relationships must be handled and what you should do to keep the fire burning for you and your partner.

Exes Baggage (2018)

Maybe the night...holds a little hope for us, dear. Well, does it? This movie seems a bit realistic since the actors, Angelica Panganiban and Carlo Aquino are both ex-lovers [who might have gotten back together in the course of making and promoting this movie then broke up right after]. 

Pia and Nix met at a bar and they clicked instantly. Sparks flew for them as they frequently saw each other and confided their troubles about their past relationships. Their relationship was happy at first, until their personality differences got in the way. Eventually, Nix's ex-girlfriend, Dwaine, also got in the way. It was revealed later on that Dwaine still has a business transaction with Nix's furniture business, which Nix keeps on delaying since he actually still has that unresolved feelings for Dwaine, who is now about to tie the knot with someone else. Pia begins to realize that she is just walking with Dwaine's shadow and leaves Nix after being fed up of his indecisiveness. Some time later, Pia and Nix meet up at their mutual friend's bar opening and they try to resolve what they had in the past.

I personally love this movie because of the music and the colors used, although its plot is no different from other breakup movies. And the ending was such a cliffhanger! I never expected the movie to end that way. What this movie will teach you is that it is important to completely end your unfinished business with your exes since the shadows of the past will always haunt you forever. Your past can greatly affect your present, and even your future. This is why closures are so important. For Pia and Nix, it is not clear whether they really had a closure or a take two, but it took them a long time to have that closure. At least when they had their conversation about their past, both of them were calm enough to address the elephant in the room.

Starting Over Again (2014)

Another iconic Pinoy breakup movie! If you're in for a more mature breakup movie, then this movie is just the right pick for you.  Ginny (Toni Gonzaga) and Marco (Piolo Pascual) used to have this student-professor relationship which almost ended into marriage. But due to Ginny's hesitation to marry Marco and opportunities that await for her career development at Spain, the couple breaks up. Some years later, Marco's message from LetterLater.com arrives in Ginny's inbox on her birthday, which shakes her up. Destiny is indeed playful as it brought together Ginny and Marco to work on a project together. However, Marco now has a girlfriend whom he plans to propose to soon. Ginny grabs this chance to resolve her issues with Marco and tries to convince him for a take two in their failed romance. This results into a heated argument, a one night stand, and a disaster.

This movie has the same takeaway with Exes Baggage - to resolve all unfinished businesses with your exes in order to live happily in the present. Feelings which were forced to be swept under the rug will eventually surface again, given the right moment. The confrontation scene between Ginny and Marco was so intense. And true enough, you can never ask for something which you deprived someone of.  What I didn't really like was how the confrontation scene ended into a one night stand, which Ginny brushes off as "Wala yun." when Marco wanted to explain about what happened. Is it just lust that led Marco to cheat on his girlfriend, Patty (Iza Calzado) for a night? Or did he actually want Ginny back but he just used his rational self this time? This movie also taught its viewers that there is hope, no matter how painful that breakup was. Ginny eventually made her way to success...and a potential romance in the making.

The Breakup Playlist (2015)

Existential crisis and a breakup in one movie. Grab your popcorn if you are in for a lot of painful scenes and some music on the side. Gino (Piolo Pascual) and Trixie (Sarah Geronimo) reunite due to a musical project three years since their breakup. Back then, Trixie was a struggling law student who loved to sing and create music. Gino was already making his name as a band vocalist. And upon meeting Trixie, he encouraged her to pursue her music career by inviting her to his new band. But Trixie was torn between fulfilling her own dreams or the dreams of her parents. Despite this, Trixie joined Gino and made catchy tracks which brought their band to fame. They eventually became a happy couple. But in the long run, Gino began to envy Trixie as she attracted the eyes and ears of many people. There was also cheating implied when Gino spent the night out with his female acquaintance. This became a huge conflict that led to their breakup.

 

When you have strict and controlling parents, it is indeed hard to juggle your personal dreams and the dreams you have with your romantic partner. Balance is not easy. Sometimes, you have to give up on something just to achieve the perfect balance. In this case, Trixie had to give up what she had with Gino to focus on herself first and her family. But it wasn't even her choice since Gino was the one who asked her to "get out of his life", which makes it the difficult part. It took some years for Gino to finally realize that he was a jerk and Trixie deserved none of his bullshit back then. When you're in a happy relationship, you tell your partner that you will be there for him/her through thick and thin. But when thick and thin actually happens, you vanish. If you're not ready for the dark side of a steady, long term relationship, then don't enter one.

 

Camp Sawi (2016)

This movie is similar to Para Sa Broken Hearted, but focuses more on a female perspective of breakups. May I just add that this movie boosted the tourism of Bantayan Island, a majestic island in Cebu. After bitter, unexpected breakups, five women enter a camp for brokenhearted people named Camp Sawi. The camp is owned and supervised by the Camp Master, Louie (Sam Milby). Surprisingly, this young and handsome guy has no Psychology degree or Counseling certificate or whatsoever to prove that he is capable of helping the camp members get through a rough breakup. But his camp became a safe space for Gwen (Arci Munoz), Bridgette (Bela Padilla), Jessica (Yassi Pressman), Clarisse (Andi Eigenmann), and Joanne (Kim Molina).

 Just a quick run through these ladies' heartbreak stories... Bridgette was in a long term relationship with Chris (Dennis Trillo), a Filipino-Chinese guy who eventually left her because she is not Chinese, something often frowned upon by traditional Filipino-Chinese families. Gwen rocked Aaron (Rico Blanco)'s world not until he wrote her a breakup song and went to hookup with another woman. Jessica was madly in love with Zac (Bret Jackson), not until she discovered that Zac was actually gay. Clarisse settled with being number two, a mistress of a married professional named Miguel. Lastly, Joanne received the biggest surprise of her life when Nelson (Alex Medina) proposed to her. A few minutes later, Nelson goes out of the restaurant to phone his family about the engagement when he gets hit by a car and dies.

Biggest takeaways from the movie? Healing and moving on from a breakup is messy, but eventually, you will get there. One day, you will accept how things have been and you will stop thinking about the what could have been's. There will always be hope for you after your struggle in a dark cave by yourself. But the struggle will be made lighter when you are supported by friends who believe in you and in what you can do. If you also learn to love yourself in the process, you will realize that you deserve better. Moving on is not instant, which is why the characters in this movie said to each other, "Balang araw (Someday)."

Alone/Together (2019)

If you want to go down memory lane and stumble by your ex-lover in college, then this movie will be a real tearjerker for you. I've watched this a year ago at the cinema and when I went out, all I carried back home was a heavy chest. I think LizQuen did a really great job with this movie, more than what they did in My Ex and Why's. 

Tin (Liza Soberano) thought she was okay with her life until she unexpectedly meets Raf (Enrique Gil) at an awards ceremony, where Raf was awarded for being a doctor-at-the-barrios and Tin's current partner, Greg (Adrian Alandy) was awarded for his corporate and charity work. Tin and Raf were lovers back in their college days (5 years back, as Tin narrated), until their romance was interrupted by Tin's career scandal which took her to a black hole she could not get out until the present day. Eventually, Raf and Tin kept on seeing each other despite the fact that they already have their own partners. Raf broke up with his partner, Aly (Jasmine Curtis-Smith) and followed Tin to New York and convinced her to pursue her dreams to be an art museum curator someday. They enjoyed "the New York of their dreams", kissed each other with intense passion, went back home, and oops...back to reality. Raf's partner, Aly, got pregnant. Tin realized she still loves Raf, but everything was too late. So instead of chasing Raf, she started to work on her forgotten dreams.

Life's timing is unfair sometimes. When you think you're ready for something, life takes it away from you in a blink of an eye. The plans you had with your former lover all vanish like a bubble (Raf saying he'd make Tin proud by graduating with honors and becoming a great doctor and then he'll marry her after. Tin and Raf's plans might let you remember the plans you had with your ex, too.) And while they might fulfill these plans, you are no longer a part of it and you must accept it.

This movie was actually controversial because of the issue of emotional cheating. Tin and Raf obviously loved each other dearly, that not even Greg's stability or Aly's pregnancy could break them apart. The biggest takeaway of this movie is....if you do not want to commit emotional cheating on your current partners, for God's sake, finish your unfinished business. Or get back to your ex ASAP before you keep making the wrong decisions in life.

Hintayan ng Langit (2018)

Can closures happen in purgatory, too? Manolo (the late Eddie Garcia) and Lisang (Gina Pareno) will show you the answer. Manolo finally arrives in purgatory shortly after dying and is assigned to stay in a room with Lisang, his former girlfriend as he waits for his call to go to heaven. Lisang purposefully delays her journey to heaven since it was revealed later on in the movie that she has been waiting for Manolo to arrive in The Middle to finally ask him her unanswered questions of a lifetime.

I don't want to spill the details of how their love blossomed and how they were also separated since it's best that the viewers enjoy the momentum of the movie. But Lisang's hatred and regret towards Manolo is actually the reason why she could not climb up to heaven immediately. God must really work in mysterious ways, if this is the case. I salute Juan Miguel Severo for writing this story and sharing this to the world.

Even with old age, you carry your scars from the past. Regret is something most seniors experience, which is why some old people would tell you to live your life to the fullest and chase the things or people you love while you still have time.   Lisang and Manolo proved that love lost in a lifetime can be rekindled even in the afterlife. This might give you high hopes that maybe one day your ex will be your happily-ever-after in heaven. But just to snap you out of that idea, let me tell you that what happened here was fictional. Nobody knows yet if heaven or purgatory really works that way. But I believe that if God wants both of you to end up with each other, He will always find a way...in ways you could not even imagine.

 

One More Chance (2007)

Ah, yes. Director Cathy Garcia-Molina's treasured jewel. Have you felt the chills when you hear Erik Santos' "I'll Never Go"? This movie had a really big impact on Philippine mainstream cinema to the point that Popoy (John Lloyd Cruz) and Basha (Bea Alonzo) have been immortalized in Filipino pop culture. Some would even consider this the God-tier of all Pinoy breakup movies. 8 years later, this movie was followed by a sequel entitled "A Second Chance".

Lovers since college, Popoy and Basha struggle together as they work for a construction firm. They've been together for five years already, and Basha starts to feel suffocated by Popoy's eagerness to control everything in her life. (Remember that fried chicken scene? That was hilarious, but it also hits close to home for a lot of long term couples.) Basha became so fed up that she decides to breakup with him and resign from the firm as well. Popoy and Basha are also in the same circle of friends, so this makes the breakup more exciting as the boys and the girls of the group take sides and help them move on. Popoy meets Trisha (Maja Salvador) during his dark times while Basha befriends her colleague, Mark (Derek Ramsay). Things become a disaster when Basha brings Mark over for dinner with friends. Popoy gets jealous that Basha has "moved on" that quick, bringing out the ever famous 3-month rule. However, Mark and Basha are purely friends and it was even Mark who convinced Basha on how to deal with Popoy.

More events ensued throughout the movie (e.g. Trisha and Popoy's breakup, Popoy and Basha working together) which led Popoy and Basha to realize that all they needed to do to fix their relationship was simply to apologize and to communicate with each other. Pride is the major reason why relationships fail completely, even when the problems could still be fixed together. And when no one is willing to make the initiative or when no one decides to swallow his/her pride, then the relationship will never see the light of day again...not even returning to the level of friendship or acquaintance.

With regards to the 3-month rule, I really agree with it. Psychologically speaking, we all have different ways of coping with a breakup. We have different timelines in terms of healing. Some of us may spiral back every now and then, contacting an ex just to let him/her know you've been thinking about him/her. Some of us may cry all of a sudden, even when it's been six months since the breakup. Some of us may even date all of a sudden 1 or 2 months after the breakup (Wow, strong heart. Love ba talaga yan or rebound lang?). My take on dating so easily after the breakup is that you don't need to crash on somebody else's life for healing. Don't commit to someone else if you're still unsure of what you feel. Maybe comfort is what you need. But when it comes to love, let me quote Ben&Ben...Iibig lang kapag handa na, hindi na lang kung trip trip lang naman.
 

That Thing Called Tadhana (2014)

If you want a movie that will change the way you look at love, then you came to the right place. I think this movie started the trend of using a few characters and chance encounters only in Philippine cinema, much like the Western movie Before Sunrise (1995). Okay, so where do broken hearts go?

Mace and Anthony meet each other at the airport in Rome when Mace is forced to throw away her stuff due to excess baggage. Anthony sees that she is struggling, so she offers Mace that she could take up all the free space in his luggage. (This scene is actually very symbolic if you think about it.) When they arrive in the Philippines, they start talking to each other until they hang out and talk about Mace's ex boyfriend of 8 years who has been having an affair in Rome. Then, as Mace gets drunk singing to Whitney Houston's song, she asks Anthony if they could go to Baguio. And so they went. Throughout the course of the movie, you can take a lot of notes from Mace and Anthony as they talk about their past romantic relationships, as well as their dreams in life. They reach Sagada even if they left their luggage have been left behind in Baguio (Another symbol!). There, Mace and Anthony begin to cozy up to each other, not because of the cool breeze in the mountains, but because of the comfort they found in each other. Mace releases all her anger as she begs the universe to stop hurting her. They return back to Manila, only to find Mace's ex boyfriend waiting at her gate. Dismayed, Anthony leaves them alone.

I'm not going to talk about the ending scene, but it seems like Mace and Anthony met each other after all that had happened, given that the book Mace was planning to publish was illustrated by Anthony. This gave me the idea that there will always be that right match for you in the right time, even when you've been hurt so much by your past. And it is rare to find someone who understands your pain. So if you find someone (well, it doesn't have to be exactly like Anthony), make sure to keep that person in your life. There are so many takeaways from this film that I could actually write a separate movie review for it. But I swear, if you love someone, chase that person. Don't rely on fate to pull the two of you together. Fate will only cooperate if it sees that two hearts have been longing for each other no matter the time, no matter the distance. 

The Hows of Us (2018)

 

I have to say, this is the most matured movie by KathNiel, next to their movie "Barcelona: A Love Untold". The pair plays George and Primo, a couple of 7 years who share a house together. Well, technically, the house was passed on to George by her Titalola (grand aunt). This movie is more than just about the 7-year itch since it teaches audiences what a matured love should be.

I like how the movie highlighted the sweet beginnings of George and Primo in college, especially when they debated over gender roles. It showed both of the characters' notions on gender, which influences their behavior all throughout the movie. The main conflict of the movie was George planning to sell the house she shared with Primo in order to afford medical treatment for her younger brother who is about to lose his eyesight because of diabetes. 

For years, George dedicated herself to her boyfriend even when she lost herself in the process. She supported Primo, even when all Primo could give her was broken promises and unpaid electric and water bills. George was not able to pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor because of prioritizing Primo's needs. 

 

Kathryn Bernardo's monologue on how she got so frustrated with Daniel's character, Primo, was topnotch. She really nailed the scene and became the voice of most women viewing the movie.

Primo is indeed George's greatest downfall. But her downfall is her only happy pill as well. If you were to ask me, George and Primo are the epitome of a toxic relationship. George always lets her guard down for Primo and Primo always wins her heart back with small gestures that would not even trump over his wrongdoings. Of course, she realized that she was dumb enough to forget about herself while loving Primo too hard. But she still accepted Primo's apologies in the end. Well, love is blind. There's nothing wrong with forgiving someone, as long as the apology is now matched with concrete actions.

 

Kung Paano Siya Nawala (2018)

Time to stray away from mainstream. Check out this indie flick on Netflix, alternatively titled as "How She Left Me". Lio (played by JM de Guzman) is your ordinary guy with prosopagnosia (face blindness)....which makes him forget people's faces and puts him on an edge whenever he's in social situations. He also has issues with his family, most especially that his estranged father is dying. His father left them when he was younger for another woman and had another family. Karma gave his father some illness and now he's dying (It's also recommended to observe Lio's mom throughout the movie; she's an insightful character too). Of all the faces he's seen, he never forgot his father's face, which is one of the most painful details in the movie.

Anyway, we still haven't talked about Shana (played by Rhian Ramos), Lio's ladylove. Just as Lio is flawed, Shana has a dark past she's struggling to bury alive. She was known as a delinquent, particularly a drug addict and peddler. However, she was able to recover from addiction and also helped other people recover. She's starting a new life and is now working as a barista.

Lio became jealous of Shana's ex-boyfriend who claimed that Shana saved his life. He began to feel like she doesn't know much about Shana's past, so this stirs both of their happy relationship up. In addition, Shana wanted Lio to acknowledge his prosopagnosia and release himself from all the inhibitions he has because of his illness. However, Lio felt like Shana was intruding too much in his life. So they had this heated argument and Lio resorted to cheating on Shana by having sex with his officemate.

He confessed to Shana about the cheating incident. And that's how he lost her. He started to lose memories of her, most especially her face. Damn, I could feel Shana's anger when she heard about what Lio did to get even. This movie tells us that two individuals in love aren't perfect. There's a lot of emotional baggage to unpack in a romantic relationship. When people keep secrets, that's when the chaos kicks in. Shana may be an ideal girl for Lio (manic pixie dream girl), but she was not what Lio deserved, especially that he just settled for a one night stand with his officemate all because he was frustrated. It's just sad how Shana is learning to stand up again from a pit of darkness, but ends up being betrayed by a guy who doesn't know how to deal with his own demons.

 

I tell you, I can really relate with Shana. I cried a bucket of tears after watching this movie, TBH.

 

  

Tayo Sa Huling Buwan Ng Taon (2019)

 

Another indie film. But this movie is a sequel to Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa (2015). The movie's title, if translated in English, is "Us At the Last Month of the Year" which is basically December. The events of the movie did happen during Christmas season. The story follows Isa and Sam, years after they had a teacher-student affair. Both of them have moved on from the events of Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa and they now have different lives.

Sam is now in a relationship with his co-teacher, Anna. Isa is back together again with Frank, her long-term pilot boyfriend whom she betrayed trust a few years back by getting into a relationship with Sam. Isa and Frank plan to leave the Philippines as the New Year enters to build their careers and start anew. One December night, while Sam and his friend Luke were hired as photographers for a Christmas Lights Display event, Sam meets Isa and his world turned upside down. Apparently, Sam still cares for Isa and still likes her. 

All characters meet at Luke's party for the anniversary of his posh barbershop. They had the opportunity to talk and hang out with each other as if history was erased. Imagine, Frank was being friendly to Sam and Anna, disregarding the fact that Sam and Isa had a relationship back then.

And just how silly the world in movies could be, Sam and Isa met at a bookstore the next day. They talked, and eventually, Sam asked Isa why their relationship ended to which Isa simply responded, "We got lost". This scene is very remarkable since it was brief yet very heartbreaking as Sam tried to explain how much he tried to chase when Isa went to the States to get back together with Frank. Tagos sa puso. Hits you right in the feels.

 

Frank was also able to reveal his true feelings later on, especially with his father diagnosed with cancer. He decides to stay in the Philippines and breaks up with Isa to "find himself" since he also got burnt out holding on to Isa and prioritizing her even when she hurt her many times. 

 

While Isa and Sam were also trying to patch things up, Anna was also seen crying in the movie, which meant she knew all along that Sam had always loved Isa. Not much has been said or shown about the resolution between Sam and Anna. But it seems like they drifted apart in the later part of the movie.

 

Obviously, I like a lot of things about this movie sequel. Its cinematography, the plot, the characters, the casting, the sound/music...almost everything is superb. The beginning and the end of the movie was also connected as symbols to the story. Speaking of symbols, there are a lot of symbols (e.g. El Hogar, charger, train, airplane) in the movie from which viewers can gain insight. It's a bit complicated to understand if you haven't seen Ang Kwento yet. The biggest takeaways I obtained from this movie are: Exes cannot stay friends if they still have emotions swept under the rug. Destiny is pretty crazy, as it unites estranged people together and messes up their already "okay" or "happy" lives. Also, it's very important to communicate with your partner no matter how small that thing is in your mind.

If you know any other modern Filipino breakup movies, please do let me know by commenting. I hope this list has been helpful somehow. 

Also, let us continue to pray for the COVID-19 pandemic to end. That would be a breakup I would never complain of. No closures needed. Just a cure.