One True Love

The popularity of Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes as a love pair in television could truly prop up their film One True Love. But this film is a bit more different. To view a film, you have to pay almost two hundred bucks for the admission (if you'll buy food too) as compared to watching teleseryes or sinenovelas in our very home. As a matter of fact, before you can drag anyone to watch a film, it has to surpass the expectations of the majority who has already seen the film. One True Love has produced a schmaltzy love story which acquired the appalling sentimentality of the soap opera tradition.

Migs (Dingdong Dantes) is a neurologist who is engaged to a nurse named Joyce (Marian Rivera). Upon announcing their engagement to his family, his sister Ara (Bianca King) immediately informed Migs' past girlfriend Bela (Iza Calzado) and advised her to go back to the Philippines. After the wedding, Migs becomes involved in a motorcycle crash and suffers isolated retrograde amnesia. During the time of his recovery, Migs has lost all memories of his wife Joyce. But instead, he chooses to unite again with Bela.

The premise is pretty interesting and it is the only good thing I can say in the film. I can also forgive the clichéd/formula story and plot devices they have adhered to for the past few decades. But it is beyond the pale if they have abused the formula itself. It is also given and yet it is still not cohesive. Migs has amnesia and yet he portrays his character that he also lost all his good values and manners. He acts like a puppet manipulated by the creative core of this film production. This is not love anymore as love gives reverence to the very essence of showing it. A person who suffers amnesia might be a little stressed and shows embarrassment but definitely not to the point of being rude. Even if the character's neurologists explained the side effects, the actor's execution is unbearable. Joyce is another problem as she embodies the maudlin expressions of empathy without reasonable gravity. She did at some point in time manage to get angry but it still does not advance the way she should deal with love as a matured individual. Anyway, she gets the sympathy which is entirely the idea of it. Although in the long run, a good story does not need any of this cheap gimmickry.

It is disheartening to watch a film more so a film that tackles the universal language of Love and hate to see everything it has offered. The quality of the technicalities is satisfactory but the other essential foundation has been laid into a dull and gloomy terrain. The acting of the two stars is disgusting to imbibe. Good thing that Calzado gives a performance that could be well regarded as a decent performance and even the character appears to be the paramour.

One True Love is not in any way true love and I am certain about it. I am glad to hear in the news that it did well in the box office even the entire production looks a bit low-cost. Hopefully the money they get in this film will be used again in making a film (hopefully a 'decent' one). Audiences are easy to please. With the theme love, it is more trouble-free as we get to feel it not exactly the same as when others feel it. It is always unique. One True Love has integrated the fantasy love formula that has been here for years. It could be shameful to use. But if it has the certain 'it', it will have magic and not an abysmal ending.

Rating: 1.5/5

I really loved this movie. Marian Rivera is indeed great. She really moved me....

I've always liked a girl with beautiful eyes, and I quickly fell in love with this movie. This is not the typical movie that a guy would like but, as a big fan of films, I do like this type of film.

It's all about Marian Rivera and Iza Calzado's eyes. They cried buckets in this movie, I was very close too. These girls know how to act through their eyes, they didn't really need to say anything, I can already feel their pain. But between the two, Calzado brought the better part in acting; Rivera was equally good, but now match with the first, she was refreshing in every sense of the word.

On the other hand, leading man Dingdong Dantes delivered a worthy amnesiac performance. Dantes has certainly grown up from his chubby "pa-cute" days to this strong figure of an actor.

The film is worthy of its hype. Excellent direction and writing, with beautiful musical scoring from Von de Guzman. The film, however, fell short on one thing: pacing, sometimes it was just too slow trying to give us the whole picture. Plus the advertisements concealed within the film doesn't help.

All in all, One True Love is a must see. Probably not the best Filipino film of 2008, but it is up there. I can't wait to see my next melodramatic love story... I guess I'll be watching Anne Curtis' Baler this Christmas.

8/10