In fairness to writers Bibeth Orteza and Joey Reyes (Joey also directs the movie), “My Bebe Love” does not merely capitalize on the hit love team. The movie still belongs mainly to Vic and Ai Ai as a pair of would be lovers who start on the wrong foot and AlDub gives them major support in a Romeo and Juliet-like love story.
Vic is Vito and Ai Ai is Cora, both heads of rival companies that manage events. Vic nearly runs over Ai Ai who naturally got mad after she fell into an “imburnal” and Vic won’t even apologize. Then they fight for a single venue of their differents events and Vic wins again.
To make matters worse, Vic’s daughter, Maine as Anna, and Ai Ai’s nephew, Alden as Dondi, get attracted to each other. But we all know all’s well that ends well as this, after all, is a feel good romantic comedy and there is no need to make the narrative so over complicated. The important thing is that it will please, first and foremost, the millions of fans of Alden and Maine who belong to the so-called AlDub Nation.
And they won’t be disappointed because Joey Reyes made sure that the movie has its quota of “kilig” scenes showing the young lovers going out on a date, holding hands, whispering sweet nothings to each other on the phone. Alden’s nice boy next door image and matinee idol clean cut presence are all over the screen. His fans won’t complain.
Maine proves to have such a charming screen presence and she’s a natural actress who doesn’t have to resort to pa-cute scenes for the viewer to like her. But of course, giving her the best supporting actress award is another story. But hey, it’s not her fault, bashers! Maybe all the filmfest jurors are fans who secretly belong to AlDub nation. Maybe they also appreciated the fact that she’s no longer always dressed like a Yaya here as she is in “Eat Bulaga”. They make sure she looks like a fashionista on the big screen, always garbed in sleek outfits that are no longer recycled or worn before by someone else.
The on screen romance of Alden and Yaya Dub in their firs movie is truly very pure and chaste. When they’re about to kiss, an animated heart suddenly springs between their lips to cover the screen. It might appear so “bitin” to their fans but, hey, this is just their first movie, okay?
Maybe in their next film project where they can go solo as a love team, their fans can expect more. In the meantime, you can still follow them in “Eat Bulaga’s” daily Kalyeserye which continues to attract viewers whose interests have not waned, as some killjoy wags envious of their enormous success have predicted.
“My Bebe Love” is a purely commercial movie in more ways than one. All the stars get to promote the major brands that they’re endorsing, from McDonald’s to Coke to Tide, PLDT Home, Solmux, etc. etc. For these casual plugs alone, we’re sure the movie already made a killing even without their box office revenues yet. We’re sure this is a kind of given that goes with the project and Joey Reyes cannot do anything about it, so he just tried his best to unabashedly accommodate all these products into the movie. Of course, even if his hands are tied, we’re sure he’ll somehow agree that the audience still deserves something better for a Christmas holiday movie.
