WHAT MAKES "EXES BAGGAGE" CLICK?

The first team up of real life ex-teenage sweethearts Angelica Panganiban and Carlo Aquino on the big screen continue to soar high at the box-office with an impressive 10 day gross of P206,693,044.  But what makes "Exes Baggage" click? The storyline looks plain and simple, just another love story about two people trying to move on from previous failed relationships; but as simple as it is, it is a story just about everyone of us which we may have been through at one point in our lives. Director Dan Villegas and Scriptwriter Baltazer concocted their script into a quite engaging film in a contemporary setting that audience can easily relate to.  

Pia (played by Angelica) is a  free spirited career woman, a go getter, who spends her time off from work in bars socializing with friends and even goes to bed with man she fancies. Carlo Aquino plays Nix, a furniture designer, who still can't get away from a previous failed relationship. Like Nix, Pia had been through a stormy relationship, but with a married man. The film begins with the two ex-lovers meeting again after two years at the inauguration of a bar owned by a common friend. The chance reunion got them reminisce their past and perhaps figure out an unfinished love affair and both realized that they still care for each other.  But Pia found herself in a dilllema whether to consider having Nix back or stay with her current boyfriend.

Director Dan Villegas treated his audience with a different style of storytelling, injecting a series of flashbacks in between, making the movie's narrative feel even more interesting to watch. Some might find the movie a bit low paced but nonetheless I enjoyed watching the movie.  Aquino and Panganiban, who both started in showbiz as childstars, portrayed their characters with  ease and competence and have blossomed into fine performers to reckon with.  

Everyone knows that both were former teenage sweethearts and more so, both undeniably excludes a great chemistry on and off-screen.  Coincidentally, both Aquino and Panganiban have just been through with similar situation off screen.  Earlier this year Angelica broke up with John Lloyd Cruz (who left her for Ellen Adarna) and Carlo broke up with his non-showbiz girlfriend.  The two have been seen together in public but both neither confirm or deny their current status.  

One of the best scenes of the movie is when Carlo Aquino sang "Maybe The Night" in a beautifully orchestrated romantic scene with Angelica; the song's soothing melody and catchy lyrics is just apt for the scene.  Thanks to the movie, the song is now gaining more views on YouTube and jumped to nearly 4 million views after the movie's release last week.  At first, I thought it just a cover from a foreign artist but it is actually composed by a local band called Ben&Ben. 

Dan Villegas is the director behind the success of low budget indie and mainstream movies such as "That Thing Called Tadhana," "Always Be My Maybe, "English Only Please" and "Walang Forever."  His unique style of film-making is what sets him apart from the new breed of directors, combining art and commercial success.

"Exes Baggage" is directed by Dan Villegas and written by Dweign Baltazar. It is the first venture of Black Sheep Productions and released by Star Cinema.