Richard: Light and easy this time around

Richard Gomez has been doing heavy confrontation scenes and heart-tugging dialogues for so long it’s hard to imagine him as a lovelorn Romeo again. After all, those piercing eyes and expressive face have given life to some of the heaviest dramatic scenes – and award-winning ones to boot – in many an unforgettable tearjerker.

Wating, Hihintayin Kita sa Langit, Saan Ka Man Naroroon. These films have seen Richard at his dramatic best.

But this time, he wants to say, "Give me a break. Hold all those physically-taxing, emotionally-draining scenes. Give me back the feel-good light-and-easy outings that make me want to break out in song and jump for joy."

Wish granted. Richard’s genie came in the form of Regine Velasquez, who has always been vocal about wanting to make a movie with him.

So voila! Viva Films came up with Ikaw Lamang, Hanggang Ngayon, its Valentine offering, calculated, this time to revive Richard’s matinee idol ways, complete with kissing scenes, a park bench (near the Manila Post Office where Regine’s character works), and a rainy day that brings out romance in most of us.

Richard as golf instructor Ryan is in love with love until he meets Katherine, the unassuming post office worker who finally changes his mind about fleeting romances and shallow relationships.

If other films left Richard feeling too tired after a hard day’s work, Ikaw Lamang, Hanggang Ngayon left him with enough energy to play with one-year-old Juliana, his daughter by wife Lucy.

This time, Richard found a leading lady "whose lips are one of the softest I’ve kissed on-screen, almost untouched." He reminded himself to go gently and carefully, because this was no Rosanna Roces so used to sizzling scenes. This was Regine Velasquez, a full-blooded Bulakeña who might find being grabbed by the waist and kissed oh-so-passionately a big turn-off.

Romance drama is a genre Richard has missed for so long. It’s been a long time since he had a light romantic movie like Ngayon at Kailanman and Kapantay ay Langit.

Richard’s last movie before Ikaw Lamang, Hanggang Ngayon was Minsan Minahal Kita with Sharon Cuneta a year ago.

So many things have happened since. Richard ran as chair of the partylist Mamamayan Ayaw sa Droga (MAD), whose fate as congressional representative still hangs in the air. Detractors have hit MAD as a tool of the ousted former President Joseph Estrada.

Richard has not been sleeping on the problem.

"Comelec has filed a resolution asking the Supreme Court to proclaim us (winners in last May’s elections). Perhaps the issue will be resolved next month," although I am not pinning my hopes too high," says Richard.

The sooner MAD officially gets to Congress the faster Richard and his party’s efforts to fight the drug problem will get more recognition, and badly-needed help.

He laments, "The problem has worsened. And nobody is working on educating the young about the drug menace."

But the crusade continues, with or without government imprimatur, simply because the need is there.

"We can do more things when we’re in Congress," adds Richard. "But as it is," he shakes his head, many young people die because of drug abuse.

The athletic Richard’s one-year absence from showbiz has also brought him back to another love: fencing. There were tournaments to compete in, and he flew to Russia and China for them.

The annual GOMA Celebrity Cup is still very much around, and this year, it will be held April, in time for Richard’s birthday, in scenic Baguio.

Thus does the action in Richard’s checkered life unreel like an exciting cliffhanger, its succeeding scenes an ongoing riddle, even to the guy himself.