Article by: Camille Dominique Javier
“Unexpectedly Yours” is a film filled with laughs and lessons about love that appeal to us well because of how we can all relate to at least one of the four main characters: Cocoy and Patty as well as Jason and Yanni.
(LOOK: Robin Padilla Surprises Movie Goers at an ‘Unexpectedly Yours’ Block Screening)
WARNING: Spoilers ahead! (If you haven’t watched the movie yet, it’s perfect for dates with the family, a significant other, a friend, or even with yourself!)
5 Things The Film “Unexpectedly Yours” Reminds Us About Love
5. Don’t be afraid to let go.
Let’s face it: life isn’t perfect.
For the menopausal perfectionist Patty (played by Sharon Cuneta), life is far from perfect. In fact, it’s falling apart! When the dashing Cocoy (played by Robin Padilla) enters Patty’s life again to woo her, Patty becomes guarded. Patty carries the heavy baggage of meeting her mother’s expectations and of being unable to stop loving an unfaithful man, who she still believes is the “perfect” one for her.
Recall that kilig, outdoor candle-lit scene where Cocoy amusingly tries to harana Patty – probably our favorite scene in the entire movie! When Patty opens up about her qualms and hangups with her relationship with Yael, Cocoy tells her to let go and move on.
Just like Patty, we need to accept that no matter how hard we try, our lives can never be perfect; but just because it isn’t perfect doesn’t mean it isn’t the right kind of life or a cause of disappointment. We often cling to our mistakes with tenacity and forget that mistakes are stumbling points that help us learn and grow. The best way to truly move forward in the right direction is to learn to let go and let life (and love) surprise you.
4. Love permits second chances.
Witnessing her husband cheat on her (again!) and propose to a younger woman on her 50th birthday probably made Patty wish that she could never have feelings for anyone ever again, let alone love that way again. Back in their high school days, a love-struck Cocoy had a crush on Patty and dared to ask for a dance during their prom night… but was unfortunately denied of this. Once we’ve been rejected like Cocoy or even worse or scarred by love like Patty, learning to love again can be difficult. However, just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
When you see love as a precious resource that you are hesitant to give away because you expect something in return, loving someone that way will only bring you hurt and disappointment because of unmet expectations. Tying up with tip #5, to just let go, allow yourself to leave room for forgiveness and second chances. Part of letting love surprise you is discerning when it’s time to move on, forgive yourself and the one who hurt you, and allow yourself to love someone again. If Cocoy was able to give Patty another chance after 35 years, so can you.
3. Listen to the ones who love you.
After flying to London, the young Yanni gets lied to by her online boyfriend, gets a taste of her first heartbreak, and returns home. Jason makes a sweet and adorable attempt to cheer Yanni up and offer meaningful advice – the kind that I personally feel many of us take for granted.
Because love is given abundantly by those who love us and are close to us, we often tend to take their advice for granted and make impulsive decisions that only feel good at the moment. This holds especially true of kids these days who, like Yanni, can’t wait for their lives to begin, and thus rush at any opportunity to experience something new and thrilling.
We tend to forget people like Patty and Jason—our parents, friends, and relatives and even our admirers—who only want what’s best for us. So it pays to ponder and digest our loved ones’ advice before jumping into decisions too quickly. Sometimes, our own rash decisions are reflections of how much we still need to love ourselves.
2. Love is a gamble.
Love can come at any point in our lives, whether we’re ready for it or not.
I guess you could say it’s life’s own unexpected (pun intended) surprise to us. We never really know if it’s “love” until it’s almost over. Take what happened to between Yael and Patty: all those years Patty kept convincing herself that Yael was the perfect one for her, just because her mom said so. Patty was willing to risk seeing if Yael would one day come to his senses and love her like a husband should – which never really happened.
Cocoy, on the other hand, took a risk, as well. He took a break from being a seaman to settle down and spend some time with his family. Little did he know that he’d run into his high school crush and end up becoming neighbors with her and falling madly in love with her. Despite all of Patty’s baggage, Cocoy still pursued her. Perhaps it was because of how much he loved her. Either way, we see that true love always wins in the end.
1. Fight for what you love and believe in.
A genuine kind of love doesn’t come easy. It needs persistence, commitment, and a lot of willpower to constantly remind yourself why you want to stay despite unexpected challenges and changes. Whether it’s young love and admiration or a time-tested romance, love requires effort.
The question we must ask ourselves is: are there things or people in our lives that we would willingly commit to and fight for? If so, how far are we willing to go for them?
Did you get to see ‘Unexpectedly Yours’? What did you think of it? Share your comments with us! 🙂
