Charo, Dingdong make ‘Only We Know’ romantic
In “Only We Know,” Charo essays Betty, a retired teacher who forms an unlikely bond with a widowed engineer, Ryan (Dingdong), who’s still mourning the sudden loss of his wife Sofia (played in cameo by Max Collins).
Former network and film executive Charo Santos-Concio did not hide her excitement that at this stage in her life, she still became the leading lady of Dingdong Dantes, one of the most in-demand male stars in the local scene.
“What an honor and what a privilege,” Charo told The Philippine STAR in the recent special screening of the film, megged by Irene Villamor, an expert in romantic and heart-rending tales.
“Thank you very much, Dong, for doing this movie with me,” said Charo. “We received very good feedback in doing this movie. They warmed our hearts.
“I hope that you will also enjoy the movie, just as much as we had a wonderful time filming it. This is a story about friendship, dating and transcending grief. I hope you will be inspired.”
Charo and Dingdong were presented with mWell watches by executive Gary Dujali before the film’s special screening.
In “Only We Know,” Charo essays Betty, a retired teacher who forms an unlikely bond with a widowed engineer, Ryan (Dingdong), who’s still mourning the sudden loss of his wife Sofia (played in cameo by Max Collins).
They are actually neighbors who have been living across from each other for more than a decade. But they never interacted in the past. Betty got to meet and talked to Sofia when the latter was still around.
As Betty and Ryan navigate loneliness, societal judgement and their emotional scars, is their new-found friendship just a lifeline or will it reveal a kind of love they didn’t know they need?
The relationship of Betty and Ryan may understandably come off unlikely to many. Two people who live alone are trying their best to cope with loneliness, grief and healing, but they discover each other and form a platonic relationship.
They do care for each other obviously. They do dinners, go to the grocery, attend the village’s occasional parties and watch out for each other’s activities.
Betty is unable to bear a child that’s why her marriage with her lawyer-husband (Al Tantay) crumbled. But they’ve remained friends to the point that her ex still visits her and moves around in the same group of friends they both have.
Ryan, meanwhile, opts to get busy with his work in construction instead of wallowing in grief. A friend and colleague (Rafa Siguion-Reyna) is convincing Ryan to go out with single ladies, but the latter does not bite.
On the other hand, Betty’s best friend, Cora (Shamaine Buencamino), is preoccupied with pairing Betty with mature men before leaving for Canada to migrate.
One morning when a wrong turn in their village road sparks a nearly heated argument between Betty’s ex and Ryan, comes the unexpected encounter for Ryan and Betty. He recalls the tiff and later says sorry.
Their friendship blossoms into something deeper, something more, as viewers get to discover Betty and Ryan’s respective worlds, their lives, problems and stories.
There is nothing disappointing in this love story even if it doesn’t include kissing scenes or love scenes. Those are not needed and can only make the scenes awkward. Yet, Charo and Dingdong managed to get the romance going and make it relatable.
Direk Irene gave the public some of the most romantic tales ever shown on the big screen. This included Dingdong teaming up with Anne Curtis in “Sid and Aya: Not a Love Story” (2018). Bella Padilla and JC Santos starred in “On Vodka, Beer and Regrets” (2020). Nadine Lustre and Carlo Aquino were paired in “Ulan” (2019).
In “Only We Know,” direk Irene was able to explore the way broken people, not surprisingly, seem to attract and gravitate toward one another.
With a PG (Parental Guidance) classification from the MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board), “Only We Know” was bankrolled jointly by Agosto Dos Productions, Star Cinema and 7K Cinema.
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