Never Not Love You: Baptism

I believe it was the great Chandra Gupta Maurya who once said that “whatever you ever you say, someone else already uttered”. And although I’m not the best historian or a quote quonnoissuer (get it?), we can all agree that this is not the best way to open a movie review. But let me again remind of the quote by two legend, icon, star that I follow with so much ardor: this is my show not yours. Let us begin.

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Before we begin, let me start by saying that I am not a fan of any love team except for Adobo and Sinigang. I have too much on my plate already to make space for something as trivial as a love team. What I do love is watching movies, watching very good movies. And while the Philippine cinema is a hit and miss when it comes to making movies, we can't deny the fact that love teams can pull the crowd like the moon pulls the tide. The last sentence made no sense, I am clearly rambling here, but please bear with me; I haven't done this in a while.

Going back, I love watching movies regardless of who is/are starring in it. So when my older friends from work invited me to watch Never Not Love You starring one of the countries most controversial love team, JaDine, I said yes. 

Without spoiling the entitled masses, the movie is about a guy and a girl. Fate brought them together (it was stickers that brought them together but yeah) and they fell in love. One is a career driven breadwinner and one is a misunderstood albeit bratty artist (you guess who's who because you don't want to be spoiled right?). They navigate life as professionals, as lovers, and as individuals. And they realized what they really want in life. Exciting right? This is the most detailed synopsis I have ever done in a movie review and I have done a lot so it's saying something. 

Long story short, I love the movie. I freaking love the movie. This is my first JaDine movie, and I have never seen a single episode of their TV series. So this is basically my JaDine baptism, and it is such a good welcome to the fandom. I follow James on Instagram because he is freaking hot and good looking and I want to rent an apartment in his armpits and maybe his nether region. I also follow Nadine because her feed makes me want to elevate my Insta game. They are good as individuals, and as a couple, oh boy! They make me feels things I haven't felt since I wrote 28 poems for a crush in high school.

Jeskelerd (source)

The first few minutes of the movie gave me the kilig I need to forget about being bitter for a day. I was smiling and giggling with their banters. It wasn't forced as I can really see how much they love each other. As the movie progress, and the intensity builds up, so does my emotions. It was so real and raw, the sushi bar is jealous.

Nadine (source)

What I really loved about the movie is how not cliched it is. We are already littered with poor-rich, lost child, damsel in distress, third party, love-me-im-dying kind of TV series and movies. Never Not Love You is such a breath of fresh air. Sorta like One More Chance. The conflict is the characters themselves which is hard to overcome. Sure, JaDine is far from Bea and John Lloyd (like really, this pair is incomparable), but you have to give it to them for daring to go beyond the rom-com, cutesy-cutesy type of a movie.

Never Not Love You made me question my priorities, and I don't have that much. Do I want love? Do I want to excel in my career? Do I want a half Pinoy-half Australian sexy tattoo/graphic artist for a boyfriend? Do I want my car in black or chrome? Should I do shadows or it's overrated? Kidding aside though, the movie will really make you ask yourself: Who prefers 7-11, when you live in Manila which is littered with food choices?

Lastly, a huge shout out to Antonette Jadaone for yet another awesome movie. That Thing Called Tadhana will always have a special place in my heart, and I fear like Never Not Love You Will do too. Which leaves no space for a love life assuming I will have one, but that's a different story. Maybe Direk Tonet can make it into a movie?

So, if you have time today, or until it is showing at the cinema, please watch Never Not Love You. I know this review is all over the place and makes little to no sense, but the movie is really, really good. I don't write reviews that often, because I don't know how to. But when I do, it's because I like (sometimes I hate with so much conviction) what I saw. Give this movie a chance.

Cheers,