Movie No. 66 (2018): EXES BAGGAGE

Exes Baggage (2018)
Director: Dan Villegas
Cast: Angelica Panganiban, Carlo Aquino
In Tagalog, with English subtitles

The movie is a modern look at relationships. So, the audience can easily get absorbed to its rhythm - from the dialog to the scenes to the conflicts to the conclusion. By rhythm, I mean its ups and downs, the undulating ride. This, for sure, has contributed a lot to its being an 'unexpected' winner at the box office. As of this writing, the movie has reportedly hit the 300-million mark. 

The movie is about two strangers. Both from failed relationships, they meet by chance, they click, they jump into a relationship. These are red flags. The relationship is doomed to fail from the start, given these red flags. What we witness in the film is indeed an anatomy of a doomed relationship. Dan Villegas' brand of telling story is effective for the so-called millennial audience. The dialogues are raw and on point. Cinematography appears unfiltered. To some, it may be unappealing. For me, it can be intentional, given the nature of the narrative and the main characters. Angelica Panganiban is achingly good in showing her character's insecurities. Likewise, Carlo Aquino excels in essaying his character's tentativeness and fear of being hurt again. There's synergy when both actors are in a scene together, even in scenes with no dialog. 

Rating: 3.5/4.0

Date seen: September 28, 2018