We all love a great romance filled with grand gestures, kilig moments, and happily-ever-afters. After all, isn't that something most people aspire to have in life? But the truth is, relationships are messy, painful, and complicated. Most of all, they take a lot of genuine work.
Here are seven Pinoy movies that capture the heartache and ups and downs that come with any relationship. They'll make you laugh and cry, but they'll give you some great, relatable insights, too.
Never Not Love You (2018)
Starring: James Reid and Nadine Lustre
Often cited as one of JaDine's most mature and best works to date, Never Not Love You centers on two young people who fall in love so fast that they immediately try to build a life together. As they and their relationship mature, they soon learn that it takes more than instant chemistry to make things work. Their respective careers go on different paths, and they must learn to reconcile reality with their relationship.
Camp Sawi (2016)
Starring: Bela Padilla, Andi Eigenmann, Arci Munoz, and Yassi Pressman
Five women from all walks of life have each experienced their own version of heartbreak. Jaded, angry, and confused, they all sign up for a beachside boot camp called "Camp Sawi," where they learn to deal and move on from their failed relationships.
Sakaling Hindi Makarating (2016)
Starring: Alessandra De Rossi, JC Santos, and Pepe Herrera
Nothing makes you feel more alone than a breakup. In Sakaling Hindi Makarating, a woman named Cielo (Alessandra De Rossi) must pick up the pieces of her life after her fiance suddenly ends their 11-year relationship. When she starts to receive a mysterious series of handpainted postcards from around the Philippines, she sets off on a road trip to find the sender. Along the way, she finds herself and learns how to grow outside of a relationship that has always defined her.
Mr. and Mrs. Cruz (2018)
Starring: JC Santos and Ryza Cenon
Raffy and Gela are two strangers who find themselves in Palawan to do some soul-searching after experiencing a breakup. They both have the same last name (you can probably already guess what it is), so they get mistaken as a married couple and end up befriending each other. They both learn that they have different perspectives on life, relationships, and how to move on from heartbreak.
I'm Drunk, I Love You (2017)
Starring: Paulo Avelino and Maja Salvador
If you've ever had to deal with unrequited feelings, this hit movie is just for you! Carson and Dio are two best friends who go on a weekend trip to La Union to celebrate graduating from college. Carson has long harbored feelings for her friend, and the movie goes through great lengths to make you feel and root for her. It's realistic and relatable in all the best (and painful) ways.
Changing Partners (2017)
Starring: Sandino Martin, Agot Isidro, Anna Luna, and Jojit Lorenzo
An adaptation of a Palanca-winning musical play, Changing Partners follows a couple, Alex and Cris, and the ups-and-downs of their romance. The twist? The movie tells their love story in four gender-bending ways, showcasing the painful realities surrounding significant age gaps, straight and LGBT relationships, and romances that have lost their spark.
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