Will You Be My Ex? throws the characters of Julia Barretto and Diego Loyzaga into a spiral of consequences that the audience could resonate with—exes involved or not
Right off the bat, the movie title itself is already a challenge that can invite an audience to check the trailer; watch the movie, even. Will You Be My Ex? confronts the idea that only a few dare to experience, while others settle for the vicarious experience—how do you face a past lover, much less ask this question? Do you even have to ask this? Well, as it turns out, you really do have to at times.
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Keeping it messy
Julia Barretto and Diego Loyzaga play Chris and Joey, respectively, who spend years making sense of their relationship as lovers even without actually being together. One can find the movie’s unfolding of internal and external conflicts within and between characters injected carelessly, as if creating plot points just for the hell of it. This consequently results in a messy storyline wherein the characters are always at war with their moral compasses. Looking at it realistically, these things do happen in real life, but seeing them unfold on screen could’ve been done with less quantity and more quality.
Grounding the characters
One can also get lost in the foundation of Chris and Joey’s relationship, which was not tackled in Will You Be My Ex? Their deep connection in the present is rooted from the past they shared, but it is one vaguely presented in the years after.
With only an interesting meet-cute to establish the attraction, some viewers might not find this a solid foundation for why both Chris and Joey yearned for each other even after all this time. There was still more potential to play with their opposite identities, which serve as the boon and bane of their relationship.
Asking the question
Ultimately, the real star in the film is Julia, who shined inside and outside of her character. In the end, her character Chris is the one who puts an end to the cycle of chase, giving a powerful message that a woman can decide and firmly stand by her decision. And if there is anything that Will You Be My Ex? nailed apart from its messy yet realistic commentary on relationships, it also deepened Julia’s versatility as an actress. This time, she has truly solidified her effective portrayal of emotions, whether she needs them to be loud or quiet.
Photos: VIVA FILMS (via Instagram)
