I think anyone who has been following my reviews knows that I’m a big fan of Irene Emma Villamor. Other than that, one movie, I’ve always enjoyed her approach to love stories. She likes to really dig deep and explore the way broken people seem to gravitate to each other; trying to figure out if this relationship would be the one to fix them and as the movie progresses, they discover through each other that there’s still a lot of self-reflection they must do before they can find happiness. Her works always have a measure of violence in them: whether it be emotional (‘Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story’ and ‘On Vodka, Beers, and Regrets’) or the actual threat of danger (‘You and Me and the End of the World’). So, it was my pleasant surprise to find that ‘Only We Know’ to be Direk Irene’s most tender work yet. Out of all her movies – including ‘Ulan’ – this has the warmest heart.
Set in Tagaytay, Betty (Charo Santos) and Ryan (Dingdong Dantes) are neighbours. In the many years that they’ve lived beside each other; they have barely interacted. But as the film begins, Betty retires from her teaching position and is now spending a lot of time at home, tending her garden and painting. Ryan, on the other hand, is still grieving the passing of his wife (Max Collins), and has become reclusive, drinking all the time, and only leaving for work or to buy more spirits. Their first encounter is awkward, but Betty is a nurturing, caring person and she takes it upon herself to invite Ryan to dinner at her place. In each other they find a kindred soul. There’s an emptiness that the other manages to fill and a friendship begins to blossom; one that potentially can lead into something more.
And this is what is so endearing about Villamor’s film. She takes her time to show us Betty and Ryan’s world. The lives that they lead and how the other fills the gaps that their personal stories have put upon them. The film is not concerned about plot. It takes on a slice-of-life narrative, showing us how one’s grief can break someone and how another can ease the longing. While retirement can bring up issues of loneliness and how the other can bring surprises at every turn.
There are cliche elements that are presented – Betty’s best friend Cora (Shamaine Buencamino) wants to set her up, Betty’s ex-husband makes an appearance, the unprocessed grief of Ryan will take its toll, and there’s a medical discovery that tends to follow these sort of storylines – but Villamor skirts around them and never uses them for unnecessary drama or lets it linger.
Her focus is on the complex layers of Betty and Ryan’s friendship and withholds key scenes to make us wonder the true depths of each other’s feelings for the other. By doing so, Villamor turns the audience into the nosy Maritess asking for answers to questions they really have no business to ask. We are made to see the symptoms of their relationship but are never really invited in. It makes the title so much more powerful because what is between them is something only, they know.
By using the film language of the romantic-comedy, Direk Irene leads us to everyday, ordinary expectations from a pairing such as this but then she side-steps to present to us the power and importance of friendship. The expectation of romance is our down doing, reducing their need for companionship to something so basic and banal. Once you’re able to let that go, what you will start to see is how love can be a lot more dynamic than what movies usually present to us.
Other than Villamor’s direction, what else drives this movie forward is the incredible skill of Charo Santos and Dingdong Dantes to make this feel all so real. They completely imbibe their characters that every move, every expression, every line delivery feels so natural and organic. Their chemistry even evolves throughout the film. Their awkward first encounter in the film and first few interactions are just that: awkward, unbalanced, odd. But as they keep meeting, talking, helping each other out, they start to connect, and their chemistry begins to grow. It’s a wonderful thing to see in a movie of this nature where usually the chemistry must be there at the onset. Here, we see it bloom. It’s really a testament to the Santos and Dantes and their commitment to the characters and to the story.
With the absence of dramatic cliches, ‘Only We Know’ is a refreshing story about love and friendship that people don’t quickly understand. It’s wonderfully acted, and it carries with it a beautiful warm heart that’s just perfect for this rainy June.
My Rating:
Catch Only We Know in cinemas now. Don’t miss this touching story. Check showtimes and buy your tickets here.
