Two years after their breakup, a Bicolano chef on the rise reunites with his ex- girlfriend who is back in the province for a brief work visit. Still feeling bitter about their breakup, he tries to seduce her to ruin her engagement, only to find himself falling for her once more.
Un/Happy For You. (C) Star Cinema
Things quickly get pretty tense and Joshua Garcia & Julia Barretto’s tour-de-force acting is immediately in full display here. What an acting duo, really. By being a Petersen Vargas-led production, their performances are supported by a strong visual flair.
The storytelling choices during the first half was a nice touch to amplify audiences’ emotions. Eventually we kind of see some kind of growth for a character (at the expense of the other). The side plot outside the romance gets a spotlight and even a conclusion. It’s kind of nice to see these for a likely blockbuster hit.
However, it still gets pretty formulaic. Loud, sudden confrontations or drunk scenes to reveal or mend things are very much present here. Yes, it happens in real life and the formula still works but maybe there are other ways to write this.
JoshLia is so good though. It delivers the tears and growth is growth. If only they mixed everything together better, it’d be as good as a creamy & spicy Bicol express. 3/5 ⭐️
Un/Happy For You is now streaming on Netflix.
