I watched Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush
Mo mid-afternoon on a weekday in a cinema in Bulacan and I was really surprised
that the venue was almost full. We were of different ages. There were kids,
teenagers, yuppies, professionals and there were also a lot of senior citizens.
I was with a friend who only came with me because she knows how fond I am of
the film’s female lead, Kim Chiu.
From the beginning, it will captivate
you because the film talks to its audience via its wacky narrator who happens
to be the author of the book where this was based from, Ramon Bautista. He uses
a language that is direct and will really affect those who have experienced the
beautiful and ugly sides of falling in love.
Kim is very beautiful in this film and
she blooms even more whenever she shares screen time with leading man, Xian
Lim. I watched two of Kim’s films on the big screen in the past, Paano na Kaya
and Till My Heartaches End, but I must commend that she’s at her prettiest in
BHKCNCM. She’s also very natural here, with the way she delivers her lines and convincing
the audience that her character, Sandy, is in love with Xian’s character, Alex.
People may be used at Kim with drama
because of the typical roles that she gets on TV, but in this film, she has
proven that she can be good with comedy as well. Her laughter is contagious and
it just seemed so real.
Xian was an eye candy and will get your
attention from the moment that his character was introduced. He really was
yummy. I can no longer count how many times I uttered “Ang gwapo ni Xian” when
I was watching the film until now that I am typing this blog entry. More than
his looks though, he was able to deliver a very convincing take on his role. He excels at scenes where he was tasked to play the guitar and sing.
Before I watched the film, I thought
that its main selling point would be the genre, as it was marketed as an all
out wacky comedy. As the film progresses, you can’t help but be captivated with
the powerful chemistry of Kim and Xian. Their love (or their characters’ love)
for one another will get through you. It would not be hard to convince people
that they really feel what their characters were going through. There were no “pilit”
moments. The “kilig” happens every time they were together on screen. They deserve to be given the best screen kiss award for this film.
I am a KimXi fan even before, but my
companion was not. This film made her a KimXi fan as well and it feels so good
that I now share my craziness about the tandem with my friend. Judging from the
audience’ reaction, it seems as if the legions of KimXi fans have broadened
after witnessing their magic on screen via BHKCNCM.
The movie was fast-paced. Star Cinema
tried to inject the family angle in both Kim and Xian’s characters. While it
worked for Xian’s side, it was not that needed for Kim’s character. They could
have simply explained her back story without dwelling a lot on her family.
Pokwang, who could have helped in providing more laughs with her brand of comedy, played the role of Kim’s mother, was tasked to do solely light drama scenes.
Unlike the Sarah-John Lloyd films where
you will also love the supporting players because of the witty lines and great
execution, BHKCNCM stood out mainly because of its two leads, no more, no less.
They both delivered well and have I already mushed over their chemistry and
magic? Haha!
So I went to watch this film as a fan
who was more inclined to Kim, with a friend who could not care less about Kim
or Xian. I went out as a solid KimXi fan and now a die-hard Xian admirer, with a friend who also became
a fan of the team-up and someone who’s now arranging groups to go with us to
watch the film again for the love of Xian Lim.
Hopefully, this film will perform well
in the tills. I want to see more of Kim and Xian on TV and on the big screen.
The team-up will surely remind you that life and love can be sweet and
beautiful just by looking at these two.
