Between Maybes

I don't remember anymore whether 'Between Maybes' came out first then the intrigues or if it was the other way around because whenever I think of this movie the first thing that comes to mind is the fallout caused by rumors that Julia Barretto and Gerald Anderson got together which is quite unfortunate because it's a good movie and it should make its mark beyond the shadow of its lead actors. Helmed by Jason Paul Laxamana (100 Tula Para Kay Stella, The Third Party) and released by Black Sheep productions (Exes Baggage, Isa Pa With Feelings,) Between Maybes is on brand and is definitely worth a second look if you abruptly dismissed it the first time.

Maybe it's being quarantined for 9 months and counting but my fatigue for movies about finding yourself while lost in travel did not manifest and it was only halfway through it that I noticed Between Maybes falls under that category. Barretto plays Hazel, a has-been actress forced to look deeper into herself when the possibility of not being an actress anymore stares right back at her. She does what any sane person would do which is to run away to a faraway land, specifically to Saga in Japan and comes across Anderson who while himself has been living there for almost all his life, seems lost at what to do with himself now that what he's been working for no longer exists.

Julia Barretto is at her strongest here, shedding away her default colegiala acting (but not entirely) and she seems comfortable and uninhibited this time around. Maybe the notion that she's no longer in a teenybopper love team forced her to grow, or the story resonated with her (her character was told she only has her looks going for her in the most brutal way) but whatever it is this movie is where her potential was realized. Not fully though as she's still leagues away from best actress material but if she keeps working hard for it, she might stay in the business longer than we expect her to. Meanwhile Gerald Anderson did okay, but he didn't really bring much to the character and it seemed like it was just another day at the office for him. Laxamana's writing is on point, the story is engaging even though it's the millionth permutation of something we've seen before. There were a couple of kinks that could've been improved on but they're not glaring enough to argue over. Between Maybes could've dragged but it didn't and that should be enough to turn your Maybe if you should watch it to a Yes.

This movie works. Julia was great throughout the movie acting well with good diction and showing the right emotions. Gerald works well too once you get over his accent. The few secondary characters never seemed like caricatures and only helped the plot to move just fine.

Japan wasn't as much a setting but rather its own character. The quiet nature of Saga was used well highlighting a very clear duality specially when compared to the known Philippine lifestyle. The movie is well paced striking comedy and dramatic beats at the right time. While some scenes are slow, it never felt like it dragged and the dead air is used just the right amount to give certain scenes impact when it lands.

The relationship development between the 2 leads never felt too farfetched and their character arcs are circled out well. They both act as a foil to each other to show character depth and complexity. Regardless of what you think about the ending the resolution is warranted, for me at least. This is because the main motivation and driving force between the characters were never really meant to coincide with one another. Different people. Different lives. After all, escapism doesn't need to be resolved by romance but rather it relates to finding oneself amidst the chaos of the world.

The plot has so much potential it's just not phase well enough for that ending, the first half of the movie was very dragging. Gerald was not the right fit for this movie, or at least his acting style.