HOW many of us had been in an unrequited love - had feelings for someone who considers us a friend but we consider them more than that? We see them once a week for a bottle of beer or two, some pizza for dinner, or a few hours of joyride but we wish we are more than friends. However, as playful as fate may be, we end up just friends. The feelings remain one-sided. Unrequited.
This is exactly what Carson, played by Maja Salvador, must have felt in the movie “I’m Drunk, I Love You.” Her character is in love with her guy best friend, Dio, played by Paolo Avelino, for seven years. In the movie, Carson goes through a dual struggle of graduating from college and from her feelings for her friend.
Last Saturday, the movie director JP Habac and the producers from Tuko Film Productions Inc, Buchi Boy Entertainment, Artikulo Uno (TBA), together with Paolo Avelino, came to Cinematheque, Davao City to promote their movie.
Given that their movie is considered a “hugot” movie that today’s generation will expectedly be interested in, Habac said what this movie sets them apart from other romantic “hugot” movies is that it is the antithesis of the traditional Filipino romantic comedy formula where the boy meets girl and marries her at the end of the movie.
“Yung sa ‘I’m Drunk, I Love You’ parang offbeat romantic comedy… Yung pelikula nag-span siya for four days lang, four days before graduation. Naging challenge for us kung paano mo ikukwento ‘yung rapport and friendship na meron na dapat si Carson at si Dio kasi for four days kailangan mapakita na seven years na ‘tong magkaibigan,” shared Habac.
He said traditional romantic movies usually based happy endings when the protagonists end up together but for him, it’s not always actually the case in real life. “Dapat nakikita mo rin ‘yung happiness sa ‘yo as an individual,” the director said.
“I could relate, not on the character side, but more on the career side (of Dio). I can relate to that in a lot of ways,” said Paolo, adding he’s a frustrated filmmaker and he currently self-studies to learn more of the technicalities of film making at the back and in front of the camera. Dio, being also a filmmaker college student, is easy to relate to for Paolo.
“I try to create my own content. I shoot the videos. I wanna learn the process of how it is done, how to do it, and how do you remake it para once I start making a film, hindi na ako ang mag a-adjust. Alam ko lang isang bagay: gusto ko buo, kalahatan. May ideya ka at least kung ano ang nasa ibang paligid mo,” said Paolo, also mentioning he would want also to do directing.
As much as the casts and crews of the movie are proud of the movie’s storyline, they are also very pleased with the great songs in the soundtrack, most of which are Original Pinoy Music (OPM) by artists such as Juan Miguel Severo, Kai Honasan, Jimmy Bondoc, Parokya ni Edgar, Cynthia Alexander, 3D (Johnoy Danao, Ebe Dancel, Bullet Dumas), Shirebound and Busking, Out of Body Special, and Ang Bandang Shirley.
Both Maja and Paolo performed covers of songs featured in the movie and the upcoming official soundtrack album. Maja sang her version of Juan Miguel Severo’s “Huling Gabi”. Paolo, on the other hand, sang Shirebound and Busking’s “Lloydy”. The recorded duets for “Maniwala Ka Sana” by Parokya Ni Edgar and “Hanggang Dito Na Lang” of Jimmy Bondoc.
Not only will the movie swoon and tug the heartstrings of people who can relate with either Carson or Dio, it will also be an act in support of “tourism films,” as said by Paolo, to make sure that Filipinos have a wider range of Filipino movies to choose from and to bring back the golden age of Filipino cinema.
Direk JP also said the movie reflects the experiences of real people.
“Whether you’re single or not, ‘I’m Drunk, I Love You’ is the perfect Valentine’s movie. It teaches everyone a lesson or two about loving yourself this Valentine’s Day,” he said.
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