Mario, Erich boost view-worthy rom-com

MAURER AND GONZALES. Defy the romantic odds in “Suddenly, It’s Magic.”

We’re glad that we were able to watch Rory B. Quintos’ new film, “Suddenly, It’s Magic,” last week. It gave us a new and more favorable impression of its young male lead, Mario Maurer, who in the past came across in our view as “just” a standard handsome, boy-next-door “type.” In Quintos’ movie, however, he does more than just look really good, and portrays his role believably and naturally.

Mario plays a Thai film star who “disappears” in the Philippines to nurse a broken heart and a troubled career. He meets a young Filipina (Erich Gonzales) who has similarly been traumatized by a fickle lover, and despite initially ticking each other off bigtime, they eventually and predictably fall in love and help each other get over their traumas.

All too soon, however, problems crop up again when Mario resumes his acting career in Thailand, now with Erich in tow. His fans resent her presence, his handlers feel that she’s limiting his career prospects, so the “magic” has to end.

This being a rom-com, however, a happy ending is still in the cards for the now older and wiser lovers—so, no permanent harm done!

Erich does well in the movie, but it must be noted that, since she’s been around longer, she looks older than her leading man. Also, her group of close friends with the exception of Ces Quesada, are generally too loud and trying too hard to be frenetically funny.

Yes, we know that the two leads need “support,” or else their many scenes together will feel too empty and less than fun-filled, but it’s the antic frenzy of the friends’ group portrayal that grates on viewers’ sensibilities.

More self-possessed and focused are the performances turned in by the Thai actors in the movie, who don’t feel that they need to act up a furious storm to keep the production “interesting.”