When I Met U

Some of the devices used in the story to separate the pair are actually dated and had been done by the mother of Leonor Rivera when she broke her daughter’s romance with Jose Rizal. But instead of intercepting letters, it is the cell phone

STAR BYTES By Butch Francisco Updated February 12, 2009 12:00 AM

In the story, Richard and KC get stranded on a deserted island for a night on their way to a wedding in Palawan. Even if there is initial dislike for each other in the beginning, they still end up having a romance (but, of course — this is a love story!).

The trouble is — they are committed to other people: Richard to Iya Villania and KC to Alfred Vargas. From the start there is already a doubt in Richard’s heart about his love for Iya and so we see that their relationship is brittle. From KC’s end, it is easy to understand why she had mixed feelings for Alfred: He is controlling, cold and has no sense of humor. In other words, he is boring.

Their problem is how to get out of their respective commitments so that they could be with each other without hurting other people. That is the main conflict of When I Met U.

Some of the devices used in the story to separate the pair are actually dated and had been done by the mother of Leonor Rivera when she broke her daughter’s romance with Jose Rizal. But instead of intercepting letters, it is the cell phone — with its texting device — that is used by the people who are against Richard and KC ending up with each other. For the viewer, that kind of mechanism used in the story is still acceptable because it adds up to the suspense on whether or not the two leads will end up with each other. Of course, I don’t even have to give you a hint on the outcome, but the interesting factor there is how they go about it — the emotional burdens they carry with them and the hardships they go through to fight for their love.

Adding more layers to the twist and turns of the story are the characters of the secondary cast members. The coldness and the severe way with which Alfred deals with KC is believable. It also helps that Alfred is a good actor and you feel the iciness that envelops his person. No, he is not bad. He is just that way — cold. Other than that, he has endearing traits — like he is responsible and generous — and this is the reason why KC has second thoughts about breaking up with him. He may not excite you outright, but you’ll learn to appreciate him in time. And then, there is also his very kind grandmother, played by Perla Bautista, who gives another one of her inspired performances in spite of the shortness of the role.

On the part of Iya, I guess her fault is that she loved Richard too much and that could be suffocating. Again, that puts Richard in a quandary because here is a woman who loves you so why can’t you love her back? But love can be so mysterious and complicated — as demonstrated by the characters of Richard and KC, who again turn in wonderful performances.