Full of ironic twists

Film review: Unforgettable

MANILA, Philippines — There is a new Sarah Geronimo in Unforgettable and she is not your normal neighborhood character.

Although she looks in every way like a young lady in bloom, her character has the innocence and effervescence of kids as well as their disarming candor. She can see through facades; she wonders why best friends are referred to as beshie or bakla. Her character is full of ironic twists. She can see the goodness in everyone and is always unmindful of dangers lurking for people her age. She has a hard time looking for directions but she is capable of preparing a nearly perfect breakfast. But not without saying that her sister (Ara Mina) doesn’t cook very well.

Moreover, she has zero tolerance for noise of any kind. It seems the writer has conceptualized her character as one pure soul not capable of coping with vexations of the spirit.

As the film unravels, there is no indication she will fall in love with anyone, except her dog (Happy) and grandma (Gina Pareno).

While you are relieved this film is the opposite of everything you associate with the lead actor, you are gradually weighed down by so much goodness surrounding her unusual character.

That she is a favorite of her grandma (Gina) comes as a matter of course. Even as lola knows her granddaughter’s peculiar condition, she is perfectly capable of dispensing nuggets of wisdom such as when you practice kindness, it will come back to you many times over.

And so it came to be that in the film, she is surrounded by incredibly good people. A taxi driver (Dennis Padilla) gives up on robbing her because of her overflowing kindness. A carenderia assistant (Regine Velasquez) offers her food, plus take home for her dog.

Even the veterinarian (Marco Gumabao) exudes not just good looks but more than an ounce of kindness.

The bad elements come when a riding in tandem snatches her bag even as she discovers a protector in her dog called Happy.

Taking the wrong bus to their home in Baguio, they meander somewhere in between literally living on the kindness of strangers (Yayo Aguila and Kim Molina).

After half an hour, you realize the film is groaning on an overload of sugar and spice you nearly expect Sarah to sing ala-Mary Poppins somewhere in the story.

The screenplay doesn’t rise beyond the ordinary exchange.

Meanwhile, you see familiar faces doing cameo roles (Anne Curtis as the nurse) and another one whose face elicits amusement rather than a hint of romance.

But to be fair, there is a lot in this film that children and dog lovers will find very endearing. And there are moving episodes that glorify good grandmas and ultra caring granddaughters.

For the most part, Sarah lived the part with some ounce of credibility and even with a touch of pathos.

As usual, Gina remains real and vulnerable and dignified even in her deathbed. She is a loving portrait of grandmas who can accept grandchildren for what they are.

But towards the end when the screen credits appear, you realize it is the dog named Happy who turns in a solid and consistent performance.

Unforgettable, directed by Jun Lana and Perci Intalan, is now showing in cinemas.