Never Not Love You

Magandang pelikula!

Magandang pelikula!

Magandang pelikula!

Magandang pelikula!

Aside from being the best couple in showbiz, they portrayed their characters well.

Just to give you a background, it was a tumultuous time when Never Not Love You was released, Nadine and James got bad rep for rumors of living in together ("C'mon guys, it's 2018" - Nadine, "IKR" - Me), being hard to work with (James reportedly being hungover) and the sleeper hit Sid & Aya came out a month after so while NNLY had a good run, it wasn't able to hit it's full potential. Which is a pity because this movie had all the great ingredients coming together and the Filipino audience missed out because of how poorly it was promoted (I mean, it was released on a Black Saturday, is that a thing now?) NNLY is written and directed by Philippine cinema's latest rock star Antoinette Jadaone (That Thing Called Tadhana) and on a personal note I wanna thank her and the rest of the young filmmakers today for making me want to watch some of the local movies again. The characters were well-written and relatable (except for the part where they kept getting promoted, lol) and as their director I think she was able to bring out the best in both James and Nadine. So much so that in my opinion this was what made them graduate from teenybopper, love-team centered movies to more mature and engaging roles which they've been very vocal and determined in getting. A testament to Nadine's excellent performance is her awards sweep that year, taking home Best Actress in Famas, Urian and Young Critics Circle, only the 4th actress to do so joining the likes of Nora Aunor (1990), Elizabeth Oropesa (1999) and Gloria Romero (2000.) The most coveted among her win is from YCC because they only award for Best Performance which means all the acting categories (Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress, Ensemble) are lumped into one. Nomination alone is a feat, winning it is something else. James on the other hand also has his moments, but his Tagalog can sometimes get in the way of his delivery although he was able to use his Australian accent for that much needed pogi points (aside from his cheekbones and jawline.) If I'm being critical, he wasn't as on-point in the first phase of his character but he grew into the role eventually. I read somewhere that majority of their lines were improvised that's why you will find yourself smiling when they said something you know you also said at one point in your life (except for asking for mustard at a Jollijeep, lol.) I appreciate the pacing of the story, the seamless transition from one scene to another and the overall editing done by Benjamin Tolentino. Usually when I look at a movie's running time, it's to find out how many more minutes I have to endure until the movie ends. This time, I felt that 1H45M is too short and wished for more but the movie was compact as it was so you don't feel shorthanded. Cinematography care of Mycko David and Carlos Mauricio were outstanding as well, making Makati CBD look like I wanna work there again (lol), Zambales giving Palawan a run for it's money as the country's last frontier, and they made London seem accessible. So to recap, Best Actress for Nadine, Best Editing and Cinematography, NNLY is one of the best movies you probably missed in 2018.

I love the actors portrayal on this movie. Everything revolves with the main character and the movie is very simple and realistic. You will love every bit of it. I've watched it twice and will watch it again many more times but I difinitely think I will not get sick of it. You better watch it yourself.

If anyone asks you "what is true love?" This movie probably can answer that question. A film that shows true reality of relationships, genuine heart ships and no sugar coats. One of my top romantic movies up to date!

Sometimes, i really don't understand why some people decide to pass up on a good opportunity for the sake of love. but i suppose that's how relationships work, especially when you just love that person so much-you take great leaps and bounds just to be together. i liked lustre's performance as joanne. i was with her all the way. despite some flaws, this is a well-written take on modern romance. it has some pretty great directorial choices, too. almost too good that it makes manila look extra romantic at night

I watched this movie after hearing the news that James Reid and Nadine Listre has broken up. It made me watch this because of the same reason the movie was all about and the reasom the two broke up. At first it's very typical a boy meeting a girl with very different backgrounds but still found love. It shows the ups and downs of a couple trying to stay together but needs to grow individually. SPOILER They still end up together My problems with this movie: 1. With a running time of almost 2 hours I was expecting a more smooth transition of the two meeting, falling in love with each other, facing the problem, and getting back together, but instead we have a sudden transition which sometimes makes us scratch our heads at first before realizing that they did a time hop. 2. Moving on and starting a new life is a very relatable subject especially now a days where millenials prefer living in with each other. After the couple moved to London we only saw a couple of moments where Nadine struggled while James enjoys his job. We should have seen more of that argument where James called Nadine selfish. (Kudos to those two for their acting) 3. The most problematic part of this movie is that everybody thinks that this is a happy ending but it is really not. If you coukd rewind all the way from the very beginning where James told Nadine "I love you" and the latter responding you could see the expression in her eyes no hesitation but full of love. Then notice as the movie progresses and at the ending where James finally went home again. After the two talk (James first arrival after spending 2 years in London) they talked about how he's confused about how he feels. And notice at the ending where Nadine went to pick him up. Yes it was AWKWARD. Yes they almost fought. Yes they were finally together again but listen and see the expression on Nadine's eyes when she responded to him. It was like she was just staying because she needs to, she has to. While James stays because he still thinks there's hope that the old her would come back. All in all I liked this movie. Promising and very much misinterpreted by many