CEBU, PHILIPPINES — Though not always, a loveteam’s “final” movie is usually their best work to date because of its maturity, and it’s safe to say that Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano’s “Tayo sa Wakas” is among those, joining LizQuen’s “Alone/Together” and JaDine’s “Never Not Love You.”
In their sixth and last (“for now,” as the loveteam stressed) project together, they play Cisco and Cheska, co-workers at an advertising agency where the latter works under the former. They eventually fall for each other because of their shared ambition and similar way of thinking.
While their office romance is encouraged by their colleagues, their boss (Epy Quizon) warns them that mixing their career and romance can get messy.
The film starts at the tail end of their relationship, as they honor one of the agreements they made while dating: that in the event of a breakup, they would take one last road trip together and look back on how and why their relationship ended in the first place.
Without spoiling anything specific, their boss is right: it can be messy, as there comes a point in their relationship when Cisco and Cheska have to compete against each other at work.
Given how Generation Z tends to be career-focused, it makes sense that these lovebirds are forced to be at odds with each other because of their jobs. The way the film executes this conflict is relatable and refreshing, as many Filipino romantic films rely on cheating as a major source of drama far too often.
Recent films from director Cathy Garcia-Sampana have been lukewarm at best since KathDen’s “Hello, Love, Goodbye” in 2019 (its 2024 sequel did not match its standard), so it was a relief to see the director at her best again in “Tayo sa Wakas.”
Loveteams are her forte as a filmmaker, and it’s evident in her direction, particularly in shots that highlight the progression of Cisco and Cheska’s relationship, as well as in the performances she draws from her leads.
Good direction can only go so far without a solid script, and Vanessa Valdez’s screenplay showcases how tailor-made the material was for Pangilinan and Mariano’s strengths as actors and effective romantic leads with strong chemistry.
But the film is not without flaws. The road trip angle as a narrative frame feels underdeveloped, as the story focuses primarily on their careers. There are only a few scenes in which Cisco and Cheska spend time together in the provinces during their breaks. Had this aspect been developed further, especially given that their relationship spans seven years, the road trip premise would have felt more meaningful.
There are also a handful of scenes in which certain production choices may break immersion for eagle-eyed viewers. Scenes shot inside the ABS-CBN headquarters serve as stand-ins for the advertising agency where Cisco and Cheska work. Every Kapamilya fan knows what the interiors of the ABS-CBN headquarters on Mother Ignacia look like, making these scenes somewhat distracting and giving away the film’s seemingly budget-conscious shortcuts.
Still, Pangilinan and Mariano make up for these by delivering the best performances of their careers to date, both as romantic leads and as individual actors.
While it may be bittersweet for fans that they won’t be seeing them work together as a loveteam for a while, “Tayo sa Wakas” is a satisfying send-off for DonBelle before both take a hiatus as a loveteam to focus on their solo careers. Four stars out of five.
| Written by JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA/VAB
