The Loved One is about two lovers, Eric (Jericho Rosales) and Ellie (Anne Curtis).
They meet through common friends, and at their wedding, the two begin to get to know each other. Even though they are opposites, Eric is reserved and quiet while Ellie is extroverted and free spirited, they immediately fall in love.
Like many love stories, they share plenty of good moments. On their first date, Eric feels embarrassed when he takes Ellie out on his worn out scooter. After that, we see them go on more dates, laughing, kissing, and enjoying what feels like the best time of their lives together.
But like any other love story, there are also plenty of difficult moments. There are fights, disagreements, and misunderstandings that slowly lead them to hurt each other. As it turns out, a relationship cannot survive on love alone.
Ten years pass, and we now see Eric and Ellie sitting across from each other in a café. They reminisce about the past, both the good and the bad.
It is kind of funny in hindsight that the people I was with inside the cinema were teenagers and not a single time did I hear them react to this film. I mean, it’s pretty mature for teens. And I think that says a lot about Viva Films’ audaciousness in releasing this during Valentine’s season because this is not as romantic as people might expect.
The first part of it is cute, and I think it captures the vibe I got from watching the trailer. It looks sweet, yet you can already sense the pain waiting at the end. A classic Irene Emma Villamor film, where as it moves along, it becomes less about the cheesy moments and more about the adult journey of love, growth, healing, and letting go. This opening stretch will also endear you and make you root for Jericho Rosales and Anne Curtis because of their undeniable chemistry.
Needless to say, this is exactly the kind of story you can expect from Irene Emma Villamor. She does not portray romance as spectacle. Instead, she uses it as a way for her characters to understand themselves and confront their own truths. For her, it is not about the relationship alone. It is about the people who build it and how love exposes who they truly are while also changing them over time. She is honest about love, relationships, and romance, and that is something you can truly appreciate in her work.
So The Loved One might be a love story about a couple, but there is much more to unpack in Eric and Ellie’s relationship than just them falling in or out of love.
Eric sees love as the main purpose. It is the thing that makes life worthwhile. Because of that, he devotes himself to Ellie. He buys a car, he buys a home, he works hard for a promotion, and he promises to marry her. But when he feels that his devotion is not being reciprocated or is leading nowhere, his insecurities and fears set in.
On the other hand, Ellie sees love as part of a greater purpose. She wants to make the world a little better, and that’s what makes life worthwhile for her. She’s ambitious and idealistic. That is why she rejects the pressure of being trapped. She wants the freedom to grow and become her best self. There is nothing wrong with having dreams or valuing independence, but Ellie’s restlessness leaves Eric feeling emotionally suspended.
If we step back, there is no clear protagonist or antagonist in this film. I do believe they truly love each other, but they do not know how to love each other’s fears. He is afraid of being left. She is afraid of being trapped. He’s clingy. She’s restless. They look good together and they share genuinely sweet moments, but in the end, they are simply incompatible.
And that brings us back to Irene Emma Villamor’s way of telling a romantic story. The Loved One is not about the relationship itself. Instead, it is about discovering who they truly are because they loved each other. And if you think that’s romantic, then Viva Films’ marketing might not be too audacious after all.
3.5/5