Movie Notes: The Break Up- Playlist (2015)

As a disclaimer, I would like to disclose and confess that I am a self-proclaimed Sarah Geronimo fan or as would social media would label as a #Popster so I hope I would give justice to that with my coming statements on what I think about her latest movie with no other than Piolo Pascual.

The Break-Up Playlist is directed by Dan Villegas and written by Antoinnete Jadaone (the one who also gave us the endearing That Thing Called Tadhana, I wish she could create a similar universe as Shondaland did with her work, Jadaoneverse or something like that ) which circles around the lives of two aspiring Filipino Rock Stars. It takes us their story from how they fell in  and eventually out of love. It was bound to be a blockbuster as it deals with the topic that pulls most of people's heartstrings - heartbreaks and break-ups.

The movie is not totally bad nor is it perfect. In terms of acting, the two lead characters for me had an on-screen chemistry and delivered acting and singing for that matter in a way satisfactorily (although some scenes of Piolo were cringe worthy). The movie structure did not follow the usual so-called formula of Philippine Cinema romance films that we have been accustomed. 

The soundtrack was excellent and created a hit to the once obscured song "Paano ba ang Magmahal" and worked well with the story - it didn't made the film melodramatic by merely drowning every scene with music. 

The ending was a bit of a  let down and the building up of the story was a bit of a drag at first and some scenes were unnecessary (hello product placements). The story would have been better off ending in a different way, however I felt that squeezing another plot twist towards the end would be much more disastrous.

Nevertheless, The Break-Up Playlist was still worth watching not only for its memorable lines or its popular lead stars but for its effort of giving more creativity and innovation to storytelling in Philippine movies.

Bonus Treat: 7 Memorable Quotes from The Break-Up Playlist

1. "Minsan talaga may mga taong darating lang sa buhay natin hindi para mag-stay kundi para iwan ka lang din, para may matutunan ka. Para patayin ka lang. Pero nasa sayo kung hahayaan mong patayin niya lahat ng masaya sayo"

2. "Kung kailangan ko ng tulong mo, hihingin ko. Pero kung hindi ko hinihingi, huwag mong ibigay nang kusa kasi ibig sabihin no'n, kaya ko. Kaya ko sarili ko. nakaya ko ng wala ka tatlong taon na."

3. "Mabuti nga magbilangan na tayo, para malaman mo, mapansin mo man lang, sa ating dalawa sana magbigay ka naman. Huwag ka lang puro tanggap, mahal kita pero nakakapagod na"

4. "Hindi pa ba obvious sayo kung paano mo ako trinato dahil sa ego mo?"

5.  "Sana ganoon kadaling makalimot, pero ang hirap pala, lalo na pag siya 'yong panagrap mo.'Yong pangarap mo na matagal mong pinagkatiwalaan. 'Yong pinaniwala ka na ito na, nahanap  mo na siya. 'Yong magpapasaya sayo, 'yong hindi ka sasaktan. Pag-aalayan mo ng mga kanta mo, ng buhay mo. Paano mo makakalimutan 'yung ganoon?"

6.  " Sa tingin ko kailangan mong magpatawad. Hindi para sa kanya, kundi para sa sarili mo. Kasi hangga't hindi ka nagpapatawad, andun ka lang sa past, sa part ng buhay mo na masakit. Isipin mo umiikot yong mundo, tapos ikaw asan ka? Andyan ka pa rin."

7. "Di mo ko mahal Gino. Ang mahal mo lang 'yong sarili  mo. Kasi kung totoong mahal mo 'ko magiging masaya ka para sa 'kin"

Photo Credits: The Break Up Playlist