KITA KITA (2017) Review
Directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo
“Two less lonely people in the world and it’s gonna be fine”
It goes with Jerrold Tarog’s Sana Dati (2013), or Marie Jamora’s Ang Nawawala (2012), you could also include Olivia Lamasan’s Sana Maulit Muli (1995), there’s something distinct about these films storytelling, the atmosphere.
Kita Kita, which was shot in Japan feels like a story in Japan. The atmosphere from the looks and how the story incorporate the setting. Writer and director Sigrid Bernardo knows what her story is and how to tell it.
It is one of those rare Filipino films that exudes magic between its two main characters. And there isn’t any family drama that puts its characters down from their everyday living. This is just the story of Lea and Tonyo, how they met (even how creepy it may look) and how they found company with each other in the lovely Japan.
The story is simple but it’s affecting. Affecting in a way that the characters were written like real people and not in a superficial way. They act and talk the way we could easily understand. And that gives the audience a breeze watching the film, there’s no need for melodrama for you to feel their pain and there’s no need for a big production to make every scene eventful.
This is just a sincere and unadulterated story of romance of two individuals. From strangers to friends to being happy with what you have even if how you got there is a bit unusual. All the emotions felt real, the Japan setting was used beautifully and the story does not feel like it was initially made to make money.
Kita Kita’s strength is how Alessandra de Rosi and Empoy Marquez smoothly acted their way to make an undeniable chemistry that surely hits the right spot. This isn’t your typical love story, these aren’t your typical lead artists of a romance movie. This is a bittersweet love story that every Filipino should see.
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
“Kita Kita” opens in Philippine cinemas July 19, 2017 from Spring Films, distributed by VIVA Films. Rated PG by the MTRCB.