It’s a thoughtfully-made film from beginning down to the credits.
Ali (Bea Alonzo) is a quirky Pinay working as a shop assistant in Vancouver, Canada. There, she meets Nick (Aga Muhlach), a former venture capitalist. She’s instantly smitten by him and declares that it’s fate that brought them together, but the last thing he wants is to get into a relationship.
Ali’s infectious charm is too strong for Nick to resist though. She is full of life and lives each day like it’s her last, quite literally because Ali has a grave heart condition. Soon, their chance encounter turns into something deeper, something worth risking heartbreak for.
First Love is a movie about a sick girl who meets a guy who is done with love, and how she makes him believe in life and love again.
Bea starred in the drama, Kasal, with Paulo Avelino and Derek Ramsay earlier this year.
Aga was last seen in the family drama Seven Sundays with Dingdong Dantes, Cristine Reyes, and Enrique Gil.
Last April, Edward was part of the ensemble cast of the horror comedy DOTGA: Da One That Ghost Away together with his love team partner Maymay Entrata, Kim Chiu, Ryan Bang, and more.
Albie had roles in two other films earlier this year: Bakwit Boys, an entry to the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino; and I Love You, Hater, which starred Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia, and Kris Aquino.
If you knew your days were numbered, how would you live your life and how would you love? These are the questions that the movie First Love made me think about.
It’s actually a GV movie. I don’t know if it’s the comfortable pace, the dreamy cinematography, the personalities of the characters of the movie, or maybe all of the above, but I left the cinema with a smile on my face.
The story itself is not the most original. You will probably watch it and think of other movies with a similar storyline. But I wasn’t bothered by that, because the film found a way to tell a love story about a sick girl in a refreshing way. Also, there’s a big plot twist midway into the movie, so that’s something to watch for.
The storytelling was tight and coherent. Every scene and detail fit together. No cluttered or misplaced scenes which I’ve come to almost expect from mainstream Filipino movies. Just one thing bothered me and that is that the movie never actually explained more about the relationship of Simon (Edward Barber) to Nick, and the details of why Nick felt the way he did about Simon and his family.
IMHO, Bea and Aga do not have that *magic* we Pinoy viewers usually look for in romantic drama movies. The chemistry is far from Bea-John Lloyd or KathNiel. But for me, it still works. They were believable as strangers-turned-lovers. You also have to remember that in the movie, Nick is 45 and Ali is in her 30s, so if you’re expecting to get teenybopper *kilig,* then this movie might not be for you. There was one particular scene in the book shop though where the connection between them was clearly evident.
Bea and Aga were the usual competent actors that we’ve always known them to be. Special mention: I enjoyed watching Albie Casiño play the gay brother of Ali and Sandy Andolong as Ali’s overprotective mother.
Overall, this is a thoughtfully-made film from beginning down to the credits. I hope many people will watch it not just for the good vibes it will bring and the entertainment of being told a good story, but for the lessons it teaches—that time is limited and we need to live each day to the fullest; that it’s okay for women to be honest about how they feel; that to love means to risk losing and hurting; and that there are loves that are worth that sacrifice.
The story was good, kinda predictable, but still made me laugh and cry a little. Bea and Aga didn’t have that much chemistry, but I think the pairing still worked because they’re both good actors. Cinematography was so good!
-Cherie
Anyone who’s having a not-so-good-week and is in need of some good vibes!