Article by: Giorgia Ocampo Danga

“Hindi naman lahat ng may ‘I love you’ love story na”.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Begging to disagree, Dingdong. The newest Dingdong Dantes – Anne Curtis movie, Sid & Aya (Not A Love Story), actually is a love story; but it’s also so much more than that.

Sid & Aya (Not A Love Story) has been making a buzz even before its release because 1.) of its intriguing title 2.) it being the reunion project of two of the biggest actors (from rival networks) after 20 years.

Now that it’s showing, people have been talking about it even more. And while everyone speaks about how the lead stars were perfect for the roles, how people have been on LSS on the beautiful soundtrack, or how the cinematography was well done; let’s talk about how Director Irene Villamor captured her audience by steering away from the cliche storylines and giving us something fresh in Philippine cinema: the real deal.

Here are 5 truths we learned in Sid & Aya’s (not a love) story.

5 Truths We Learned From Sid & Aya (Not A Love Story)

5. People need money.

“Wala ka talagang friends, ‘no?  Friends na tayo, pero magtataas na ‘ko ng rate ko. 1500 per hour na.”– Aya

Aya is a damsel in distress, but she doesn’t need any prince’s saving. Her economic background has shaped her into a smart, hardworking woman armed with great ‘diskarte’ in life. She knew that tagging along with a stranger during the night for cash was a dangerous thing to do, but she did it anyway. There goes the saying “Ang taong gipit, sa patalim kumakapit”.

Aya works three jobs (excluding Sid’s personal companion on his sleepless nights): a coffee shop barista, a laundry girl, and a performer at an amusement park. She juggles these jobs so that her mom (who is in Japan) can finally come home. She also does it to pay for her sick dad’s medical needs and her sister’s education.

Truth be told, we all want money because we need money. It enables us to have more control over our life. We all want a safe home, health security, the best education, and admit it or not, sometimes a little more than the basics.

4. Money can’t buy happiness.

“Magkano kung sasamahan mo ‘ko… mga tatlong oras lang?” -Sid

Sid, on the other hand, is a wealthy stock broker; but not the ‘old rich’ type. He worked his way up the ladder. He can afford anything he sets his eyes on, even purchasing two engagement rings without batting an eye. Even with a skyrocketing career, a girlfriend, and loads of money, though, he is clearly unhappy… not until Aya came into his life anyway.

You can sleep in the most expensive bed but still feel restless, or dress in designer clothes and feel emptiness embracing you. Money can’t buy friends (well, maybe except Aya), love, or inner peace. Yes, money can buy convenience, but it won’t buy you the more important things in life.

3. Health is important.

“Causes of insomnia: Regret. Self-blame. Overthinking. Anger. Depression. Loneliness. And her.” -Sid

The theme of physical health was slightly and poetically illustrated through the remarkable line, “The things that we love will eventually kills us” pertaining to cigarettes. Moreover, mental health, a taboo topic for the longest time, was also subtly touched on.

Aside from that, the dashing male lead is also an insomniac with a very troubled childhood. The film’s storyline does not revolve around it, though, contrary to what one may think after watching the trailer where Sid talks about the cause of insomnia. However, it is still a key to understanding the complexity of Sid’s character, and how his sleeping disorder affects his life.

2. Love takes hard work.

“Tumaya ka naman sa’kin, Aya.” – Sid
“Kung tataya ako sa’yo, ikaw naman ang masasaktan.” – Aya

Despite their differences in social and economic status, Sid and Aya are far from the ‘rich boy-poor girl against all odds’ character cliches we grew up watching over and over. The charm in Sid & Aya is its refreshing take on what love actually is. It’s not the hopeless romantic kind of story Pinoys are fans of, but it also doesn’t run short on ‘kilig’ moments.

This film shows us that relationships are much more than just the feeling of being in love, and that there really is a ‘right love at the wrong time’. When Aya came into Sid’s life, he had a girlfriend.  When Sid was finally ready, Aya had other responsibilities. It takes two to tango. You both call the shots, and you both have to be all in if you’re going to make it work.

1. Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you.

“A black swan is an event that is impossible to predict, but has major consequences for us all.” -Sid

Yes, it sounds familiar because it’s from an Alanis Morissette song. This film is a balance of two people making choices and destiny doing the rest of the job. Dingdong plays a stock broker. He was excellent at his job, but not that excellent in love.

Aya is Sid’s ‘black swan’, the one thing he never saw coming but that changed his life in ways he never imagined. Still, it took him a while before he decided to bet on her. Maybe it was too late. But also, maybe fate just gave Sid time to fix himself first. Maybe fate just gave Aya time to discover her self-worth.

Despite all the heartbreak and its realistic takes, Sid & Aya did not make us lose our faith in love. If you’ve done everything in your capacity and if you’re really meant to be together, love will ultimately find a way.