Film Review #3: Hello, Love, Again (2024)

Three years have passed, and here I am again with my third full-length film review. This time, it is for none other than ABS-CBN Films' Star Cinema and GMA Pictures' first movie collaboration, Hello, Love, Again. With director Cathy Garcia-Sampana at the helm, anchored by screenwriters Carmi Raymundo and Crystal San Miguel, Hello, Love, Again has commenced its expedition to 900 cinemas worldwide. Serving as the HLA’s chief engineers, lead actors Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards have successfully kept their ship afloat for this run, dispelling fears from a five-year hiatus after Hello, Love, Goodbye.

As there are no holds barred in my thoughts here, SPOILER ALERT if you have yet to see the film. I sincerely apologize if you've reached this point and got reeled in already, but I just wanted to express every bit of my sentiment toward HLA; thus, spoilers were unavoidable.

Screenplay is top-notch, realistic, and true to life. Kudos to Hello, Love, Again for being able to still tell a relevant story of people’s lives during the pandemic. Before coming to the theaters, I was actually wondering what could have happened between Joy and Ethan, and why their relationship didn’t work based on the official trailer. Even though it was realistic and should be expected, I was still surprised that it was actually due to the pandemic. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. What were the major circumstances brought by the pandemic? Health decline and job loss, which had put a financial strain on people all over the world. Hello, Love, Again showcased another layer of Filipino resilience and a never-say-die attitude featuring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Canada. Thanks to their team of researchers, the character profile of the Filipino communities abroad was spot-on depicted in the film. That we have “kababayans” whom we can count on when times are tough, yet heartbreakingly, there are a handful of them who are the first to take advantage of a fellow Filipino in need.

Also, it is true that love is ideal when you haven’t experienced struggles together, physically. It is one thing to have a long-distance relationship, but it is an entirely different thing to be challenged when you are together, all the more because you are physically together. Making promises to create a future together is superficial until you actually experience the problems firsthand.

The film is relatable to its core: Joy and Ethan genuinely want to help their own families even at their own personal expense. Conflicts that are intrinsically driven, such as ego and pride, as well as the innate altruism of Filipinos (though it is usually celebrated), can be self-destructive at some point. Gaslighting and always choosing others as if it’s the most natural and right thing to do are toxic Filipino traits that the movie was able to bring to light. And yet, despite it all, being able to choose freely, may it be in career or in love, is a privilege that most of our overseas workers cannot afford to have.

The character development of both Joy and Ethan is on point, not rushed nor dragged on further. If not for COVID-19, I know they can pull off doing a sequel only a year or two from Hello, Love, Goodbye. But, as heartbreaks make a person who they are today, the delay was like a blessing in disguise as the five-year gap made it align with the real-world timeline. Kathryn and Alden would not have been able to perfectly embody their characters Joy and Ethan if not for their time apart and their personal experiences through these years.

If Hello, Love, Goodbye was about fulfilling your dreams for your family even if it means being away from home, Hello, Love, Again is about being at home where your heart is. That no matter where you are in this vast universe, home is where you foster love, care, and kindness with one another. Home is where you choose to be happy with yourselves and/or with your loved ones.

Additionally, out of all the supporting cast, Joross Gamboa sparkled the brightest. His comedic timing is flawless, and he breaks the stereotype of a Filipino male lead’s sidekick. Any banter with Joross in the entire film did not fail to tickle a funny bone in me, which is seriously impressive.

In terms of music, "Palagi" as the movie soundtrack is definitely the best choice. Both the lyrics and the emotions KZ Tandingan and TJ Monterde evoke through their voices are heart-tugging. Also, I appreciate that they used an all-OPM track for this film. This kind of nuance is a testament to them celebrating Filipino workers as a whole, whether they are overseas or locally.

Finally, I would like to commend the HLA team for being brave enough to believe in this material and push through with the sequel. We all know that a continuation movie has a higher pressure to pull off, but, as a fearless forecast, Hello, Love, Again will be the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time. Not only that, it will surely gain recognition from award-giving bodies here in the Philippines and worldwide.

Hello, Love, Again genuinely deserves all the praise, hype, and love.

Photo taken at Mall of Asia Cinemas, November 13, 2024.