WISH YOU WERE THE ONE (2023) Review
Directed by Derick Cabrido
What if you meet a stranger and you two clicked instantly? What if he or she is actually the ideal partner? What if you met him or her at the wrong time? What if destiny is actually bringing you two to each other?
There are a lot of what ifs in Derick Cabrido’s latest film, Wish You Were The One, you get to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. The duo Padilla and Santos is proven to be effective whether they want to make you cry or kilig. From 100 Tula Para kay Stella to On Beers, Vodka and Regrets, they have shown their range as actors and the material is quite perfect for the two to show how talented they are.
The story introduces as to a talkative Astrud (Padilla) and introvert but hopeless romantic Ellis (Santos). Their characters both have unfinished business with their past but fate wants to confuse their feelings. A certain wedding connected the two and forced them to act like lovers. And as the story progresses, they realize that maybe, they are perfect for each other, that they seem to be better of with their exes.
It’s entertaining. You get to see Bela Padilla be loose and a bit cynical, JC Santos is always reliable with the character he’s offered and here he’s cute and gets to fight for his feelings, which he rarely does in his previous characters. The story is pleasant and you get to feel that the writer and director gets to have fun with the material with the flashbacks and the styles in storytelling.
I have a problem with some of the choices and lines in the movie though. Spoiler alert, for someone who isn’t comfortable with confrontation and who can’t go big when it comes to love, Ellis (Santos) seems to go all out when confronting his thoughts about being with Astrud (Padilla) who he just formally met on that day. Maybe it’s just me, yes, time may be not on their side but, like Ellis, Astrud does some decisions that will make you think twice in the film.
These issues actually have some answers but I guess it’s up to everyone if they’re comfortable with the answers.
But overall, Wish You Were The One makes you think of the what ifs in life. It makes you think that maybe confronting your feelings, saying it out loud to the person you have feelings with is more convenient for everyone. Like I said, it’s a rollercoaster of emotions. You get to feel kilig, frustrated, tensed and think a lot about how to express your feelings at the right moment.
3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
‘Wish You Were The One’ is now showing in cinemas nationwide from VIVA Films, Studio VIVA, Clever Minds, Inc., and Manila Envelope. Rated PG by the MTRCB.