Hello, Love, Goodbye is a 2019 Philippine romantic drama film directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina and starring Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards. The film is produced by Star Cinema. Released in the theaters on July 31, it has grossed over P700 million pesos worldwide as of August 17.
Joy (Bernardo) is a spunky poor millennial who works as a domestic helper in Hong Kong. Determined to live a greater life far from her depraved childhood, Joy has big dreams of succeeding in Canada or wherever her dreams may take her. She meets Filipino bartender Ethan (Richards), a sweetheart playboy who will officially become a resident in the city in a few years. After escaping responsibilities all his life, Ethan now wants to commit to a career and to his family (who also reside in Hong Kong).
Joy and Ethan soon develop a friendship. The two become each other’s joy against the grime and grind of Hong Kong
MEMORABLE LINES
“I’ll take whatever you can give.”
– Ethan Del Rosario
“I am more than this job! I want more! I want to be more!”
– Joy Marie Fabregas
sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello,_Love,_Goodbye
Hello, Love, Goodbye Review
The movie was about the struggles of Joy as a domestic helper, older sister and current head of the family, and underemployed nurse. She was the epitome of a struggling young-adult in the country of Hong Kong. She embodied the responsible older sister role for her family that carried the burden of keeping her family united and fed. Moreover, she was experiencing an identity crisis and struggling to maintain the weight of her responsibilities.
One of the main takeaways was her act of selflessness and selfishness. During the whole movie, she showed countless times how hard she has to work for her family but also her need for reform. Joy wants to go to Canada, and she reiterated this multiple times. In Canada, she can reunite her family and work a proper and decent paying job. However, in the end, she wasn’t able to unite her family, but she still went to Canada. The whole debacle was her trying to be selfless, but within the end, realizing that doing what she wants for the betterment of her life is not an act of selfishness.
Another thing that struck me was the love story of Ethan and Joy. The way they met wasn’t typical, but the way things ended is something a lot can associate to themselves. “It was never a question of love.” is a line that changed the way I perceived their relationship. Even though they had limited time to be together, viewers undoubtedly believed that they loved one another. As shown in multiple scenes of them spending time with themselves and fellow OFWs, it was never about the love that didn’t suffice. The overbearing tendencies of Ethan and Joy’s need for the taste of freedom have “Doomed” written out for the viewers. The act of letting go was one of the best ways to prove that the love they had was real. With two different outlooks toward the future, one has to let go for the sake of the other’s happiness. Their act of letting go is not only giving Joy the power to grow but showed how Ethan has grown. True love never restricts, and growth is something every individual need.
Overall, I believe that the movie was exceptional. The way Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards introduced the struggles of young-adult in the film was superior for their age. The problems introduced gave viewers a look into the world many have not seen, the portrayal of the actors was uncanny. I also commend the fact that they didn’t have an antagonist. The movie showed how reality wasn’t just about one mistake or a person’s fault that defines them. There were times that I found the characters questionable, only to realize that the circumstances they had shaped their dispositions, and that made me more inclined to praise the actors.
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