Movie Review: It Takes A Man and a Woman

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Finally. The Third Installment of the Laida and Miggy love story has arrived.

It Takes A Man and a Woman centers on the continuation of Laida and Miggy's love story...which unfortunately turned into a 'hate' relationship after the two broke up. Laida returns to the Philippines after working for a publishing house in New York, and after Flippage - Miggy's publishing company - needs again her services. Laida and Miggy's opinions will always clash, until it gets too personal. And there they discover the feelings they still have for each other.

The movie focused on coping up with break-ups, betrayals and second chances. How they presented the coping ways of break-ups is very realistic, as this happens in real life. And the movie will always make us fall in love again.

Irma Adlawan and Al Tantay reprising their roles as Laida's parents provided the life lessons of the movie, and they even have their own chemistry, I really hope that they will be reunited again in a soap opera or a film. Matet de Leon, Joross Gamboa and Gio Alvarez provided the comic feel of the movie, they are still as hilarious as they were in the previous films. Isabelle Daza playing Miggy's girlfriend Belle is the other girl we can't hate, however, Isabelle must transfer to ABS-CBN and attend acting workshops with Star Magic because she can still improve. She actually improved a lot in this movie from her performance in GMA's 16-week afternoon soap Faithfully.

Sarah Geronimo as the heart-broken Laida portaryed her role very well. Upon seeing all the 3 movies, Sarah and Laida matured together. And the transformation of the old Laida to Laida Magtalas Version 2.0 was believable and properly established. Some can't see the relevance of the wig she is wearing, but I can interpret that this was also part of her coping ways (Break-up gets haircut - Basha of One More Chance, remember?). John Lloyd Cruz as Miggy Montenegro reprises his arrogance, but this time with a heart compared to the heartless "Miggy Montimonyo" of the first installment. And as for them as a loveteam, there is still the chemistry and the magic, most especially in the New York scenes.

The movie indeed is good and the continuity was properly established, however, there was a lapse in time, as the film says that Laida left in Feb 2009, whereas the film You Changed My Life premiered February 25, 2009, with the second film taking place 6 months after the first (which premiered August). Just do the counting. However, this is just my own observation and the time lapse did not actually affect the quality of the movie.

The musical scoring was nostalgic at the same time refreshing. And the turn of events of the story was also nostalgic yet relevant. The ending was a surprise, that I did not even expect it. But it was touching, and made me leave the cinemas in tears of  joy. The movie itself is very unpredictable despite being the 3rd installation of Laida-Miggy love stories.

I would love to watch this movie again. Direk Cathy Garcia-Molina will never ever disappoint us with all her movies. :)

Rating: 9