In Your Eyes

Same cheesy storyline. Unconvincing acting. Waste of time.

The movie In Your eyes debuted in 2010 showcased the works of Director Mac C. Alejandre and writer Keiko Aquino. Shot in between Manila, Philippines and Orange County, California, In Your Eyes is a decent melo-dramatic, romance movie.

Since sisters Ciara and Julia lose their parents they grew closer with each other, and have the same American dream. Ciara having an intelligent, conservative and sort of perfectionist nature works hard for Julia with a price of sacrificing her own happiness and life. On the other hand Julia, smart but dependent to her sister, and while having a carefree lifestyle falls easily in love with Storm, a guy who has great sexual appeal.

Julia went to America to be safe with her "Ate", drags along her boyfriend. Storm, while in America cannot find a decent job without being discriminated. Storm wanted to go back to his country, Julia, was afraid to lose him, and arranged Storm with a marriage with her sister Ciara, for Storm to be an America citizen himself. Ciara thinking it was another sacrificial thing for her sister agrees to marry Storm. To cut it short, Storm and Ciara, pushed in an awkward situation, falls in love with each other leaving Julia devastated to her sister.

In your eyes' controversial points on visa and citizenship were not properly accounted for; the story has loop holes leaving you with several important questions. The director leans more to the romantic drama side of the story. The journey of the heart of the three central characters was the ball the film had followed. On that account, the film does not disappoint, the film escalates as the emotions of the characters escalates.

No matter how unpolished the film was, the performance of the lead actress who plays Ciara (Claudine Barretto) was commendable giving a strong hold for the film's wavering backbone and pushing its scores up. She was driven, generous, caught off guard, disappointed, hopeful and sacrificial all expressed delicately on her eyes. She has not achieved that without the supporting performances of the actress who played Julia (Ann Curtis) thou at times too much, she was still out of the box and exciting. One performance who does not help in bringing out the best of the film was the actor who plays Storm (Richard Gutierrez), who acted blunt, thank God for his good looks who luckily, says it all for the character.

Check this not-so-long ago film who is still worth it if you want a sentimental afternoon with popcorns.

The movie opens up with how Ciara has tried to mould her life, her happiness and everything she got for her sister. Then comes the younger sister who thinks that her older sister is nothing but a non feeling object who she can ask to marry her boyfriend to keep him in the States, to make her sleep in one room and to do things together without any chance of feeling something akin to love. The only time that Ciara felt happy was when she fell in love with Storm and him with Ciara. The viewers can fully see that what they fee is not just sexual attraction but real love. But the younger sister was the one who cursed her and saying that she's nothing but a boyfriend stealer. Who is legally married again? Who should have the right to be in love again? Storm was shattered that Ciara would him up in favour of her sister Julia. It hurt him but he continued to love her. Until they finally signed the divorce papers. The Julia and Storm separates followed by her going back to US to be with Ciara. But don't the viewers think that it'll be a much realistic and better ending if we see Ciara pushing pram followed by Julia and her now husband/partner- that in the end it'll be Ciara and Storm who ended up together? That true love really prevails? That someone who sacrifices everything to make sure her younger sibling grew up in a much better lifestyle having everything she needs and wants also can be happy in the end? That she deserves to be happy too? And that despite Julia being the immature and selfish sister can also develop into someone who can fully appreciate what her older sister has done and sacrifice for her and that she graciously be happy for her, after all? The writer is awesome. The actors are amazingly talented except for some occasions that Anne Curtis is quite raw and don't act naturally. If the ending had been made better - it'll be one of the best and classic films of the Philippine cinema. Unfortunately, it was ruined by the inappropriate ending of the story.