The billing for “Finally Found Someone” alone already draws enough attention that any promos and marketing for the project feel superfluous. But director Theodore Boborol went beyond than relying on the star power his film has and actually crafted something that feels familiar in all the right ways, yet oddly different.
In the history of Philippine cinema, there have been iconic love teams that have come and gone with only a few having the sustainability to maintain fan interest. And while John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo aren’t wrapped up in the fantasy of having a real-life romantic relationship, the public continues to buy their tandem. Why? Simply because of their palpable chemistry.
“Finally Found Someone” which was originally titled “Dear Future Husband,” tackles the story of April (Geronimo) - an idealistic woman whose dream is to settle down with the love of her life. But when she gets ditched by her fiance at the day of her wedding, fate brings her Raffy (Cruz), a career-driven guy who is burdened by familial issues. The two develops a unique friendship that eventually helps them to overcome their respective hang-ups in life.
Arguably one of the biggest (if not the biggest) challenge for Boborol is to pluck Geronimo and Cruz from their Laida and Miggy personas respectively and plug them to their new characters without people feeling like they are just watching part 4 of the “A Very Special Love” franchise. After three mega-hit films from that series, the two actors have become synonymous to those roles - a feat which is especially highlighted when you bring them back together for another rom-com movie.
Interestingly, instead of shying away from everything that Cathy Garcia-Molina built on, he capitalized on them and infused it with his own style for a social status cliche-free love story. The characters are both relatable (it was fun to see Cruz’s character actually having to deal with monetary struggles and Sarah’s character to not be too exaggeratingly jovial) resulting to fans actually seeing themselves in the actors instead of wanting to be them.
The very basis of the story is something we have never or rarely seen before, it quietly simmers and it takes actual time to get to a point that both Raffy and April are already struggling to keep their emotions in check. Their relationship progress is as important as their individual journeys to finding love, making the narrative more realistic. Oftentimes, romcoms depend too much on the meet-cutesys, the “courtship” that follows right after it and the introduction of the antagonistic element that will keep the lovers apart. But “Finally Found Someone” gets more creative than that. It delves deep into the meaning of love, the kinds of love and most importantly, the correct kind of love. It explores the notion of infatuation and too much romanticism - which is ironic in a way that yes, this is still a straight-up romantic story. But its well-developed roster of supporting characters and supporting stories definitely makes it feel more organic than forced helping fans not to be overly blinded by the sweeping love stories media sometimes tend to project it to be.
Fans of Cruz and Sarah will definitely find the movie delightful. The two exudes charm individually and partnering them together is almost always a sure fire hit. But casual audience who does not really care much for love-teams will also find themselves enjoying the film. Even those who are allergic to Pinoy, over-the-top-cheesy stories can find something interesting in “Finally Found Someone.”
Watch ‘Finally Found Someone’ official movie trailer
-- ALD, The Summit Express
Previous movie review:
“Kita Kita”: A Fresh Spin On The Cliched Rom-Com
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| Sarah Geronimo as April and John Lloyd Cruz as Raffy in ‘Finally Found Someone’/Star Cinema |
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| John Lloyd Cruz as Raffy and Sarah Geronimo as April in ‘Finally Found Someone’/Star Cinema |
Arguably one of the biggest (if not the biggest) challenge for Boborol is to pluck Geronimo and Cruz from their Laida and Miggy personas respectively and plug them to their new characters without people feeling like they are just watching part 4 of the “A Very Special Love” franchise. After three mega-hit films from that series, the two actors have become synonymous to those roles - a feat which is especially highlighted when you bring them back together for another rom-com movie.
Interestingly, instead of shying away from everything that Cathy Garcia-Molina built on, he capitalized on them and infused it with his own style for a social status cliche-free love story. The characters are both relatable (it was fun to see Cruz’s character actually having to deal with monetary struggles and Sarah’s character to not be too exaggeratingly jovial) resulting to fans actually seeing themselves in the actors instead of wanting to be them.
 |
| Sarah Geronimo as April and John Lloyd Cruz as Raffy in ‘Finally Found Someone’/Star Cinema |
Fans of Cruz and Sarah will definitely find the movie delightful. The two exudes charm individually and partnering them together is almost always a sure fire hit. But casual audience who does not really care much for love-teams will also find themselves enjoying the film. Even those who are allergic to Pinoy, over-the-top-cheesy stories can find something interesting in “Finally Found Someone.”
Watch ‘Finally Found Someone’ official movie trailer
-- ALD, The Summit Express
Previous movie review:
“Kita Kita”: A Fresh Spin On The Cliched Rom-Com
