Gerald and Arci turn up the heat in disarming romantic sizzler

ANDERSON AND MUÑOZ. Love comes with risks that are worth fighting for.

Dan Villegas’ “Always Be My Maybe” is a romantic sizzler that deserves to go viral. Unlike many feel-good romantic comedies trotted out by mainstream cinema these days, its tale about reluctant, once-bitten-twice-shy lovers isn’t presented with predictable, formulaic fizz that perfunctorily whisks viewers through a checklist of clichés.

Devoid of the circuitous distractions of escapist rom-coms, it benefits from Villegas’ straightforward, no-frills storytelling that banks on a “relatable” romantic tale—and cleverly builds on the freshness and offbeat charm of its unconventional leading lady, Arci Muñoz, and her easy chemistry with Gerald Anderson.

New pals Christina “Tintin” Paraiso (Muñoz) and Jake del Mundo (Anderson) have something in common—they’ve just had their hearts broken!

Instead of jumping back into the dating game, they’d rather share “hugot” lines and spend more time with each other, as they begin to pick up the pieces of their tattered egos in the comfort of each other’s friendly and cozy embrace.

For Jake, the honest but unintrusive Tintin comes as a breath of fresh air because she helps him reconnect with his other passions, refocus his priorities and readjust his perspective on love.

But, when their “pretend” romantic games start to get uncomfortably real and increasingly steamy, Tintin and Jake are forced to reassess how they truly feel for each other. Problem is, just when they think they’re finally ready to move on and start afresh, they cross paths with their indecisive exes! Are they ready to risk getting their hearts broken again?

Potent chemistry

It isn’t hard to get won over by Gerald and Arci’s likable characters because their potent chemistry allows them to transcend the deceptively “stock” characters they’re tasked to breathe life into: Jake doesn’t mind playing the field as he waits for the right woman to come along.

For her part, Tin constantly seeks romantic stability and affirmation as her precocious friends chitchat about her sins of omission.

Gerald and Arci, the film season’s most disarming screen find, charge the screen with sexual frisson. They don’t just look good together—they turn up the heat in steamy scenes that bristle with sexual tension. Their provocative scenes proficiently demonstrate that the sizzle and scorch that a screen tandem exudes isn’t something that can be fabricated.

They’re easy to root for because, while they wear their hearts on their sleeves, they don’t ram their characters’ grief and heartbreak down viewers’ throats. They make you realize that there’s more to love and romance than a flirtatious exchange, sexually charged banter, or comfy postcoital cuddle.

Love doesn’t always play out the way we want it to—it comes with risks, but it’s definitely worth fighting for!