‘The Loved One’ REVIEW: Love is (im)patient and (un)kind
‘The Loved One’ REVIEW: Love is (im)patient and (un)kind
WARNING! This review contains spoilers ahead for The Loved One.
Love comes in different forms. And most of the time, we often misinterpret them as something else. Something more peculiar, extraordinary, or life-changing, but not always in a good way.
Directed by Irene Emma Villamor, The Loved One, a romance-drama film, shows the heavy weight of time, love, and personal endeavors. Soon after its initial theatrical release, audiences expressed both frustration and appreciation for the story of Ellie (Anne Curtis) and Eric (Jericho Rosales).
Phillip (Brendan Fraser) and Mia (Shannon Mahina Gorman) in Rental Family / Still from IMDb
The film follows a non-linear path to understanding how a supposedly loving and perfect relationship devolves into a fragmented mess. There is a crucial play on the element of space, both internally and externally, within the two characters. As they are both conflicted, unaware of the other's presence, these spaces cluster them into individualistic souls who only want to feel seen.
Eric’s warmth draws us in as he welcomes Ellie, a never-ending promise of love and security. His perspective portrays their relationship as warm, compassionate, and all-giving. He shows how his sacrifices are constant, always in favor of Ellie’s wants and needs. Investing in a car, living together, and working twice as hard to save up for their future.
Eric also comes from a loving family, with two siblings and their single mother. As the eldest, he ought to show how he handles his responsibilities and obligations in ways that not all people can. After being promoted in his corporate work, he manages to look and do better for Ellie, giving everything, and showing how he can be a dependable husband in the future.
A line from Eric summarizes this perspective on the common notion of one-sided romantic narratives: “Love turns people into poets, philosophers, and monsters.” Their love lays bare how love, in all forms, is (un)questionable, (im)patient, and most of the time, (un)kind.
Phillip (Brendan Fraser) in Rental Family / Still from IMDb
But this is just Eric’s story. With this fantasy-like plotting, it is almost impossible to ignore the flaws that should make a relationship work. A Villamor film does not disappoint, but it also does not promise anything to its audience.
Ellie’s side of the story is more realistic. But I’ll be honest — I do not think her side was portrayed evenly as Eric. It is as if they simply touched on the highlights of her side, not bothering to look closely, as Eric’s way of storytelling. Nevertheless, this lacking story also shows a lot about Ellie’s character, such as her values and her treatment of the people around her.
From the beginning of the film, we understand that Ellie is a carefree woman. She does not let others define what she can or cannot do, not even her own parents. This is exactly the reason why she caught Eric’s glance in the first place. With the everlasting dreams and visions that Ellie wants to accomplish, it is almost as if Eric is the only barrier to these.
Ellie shares both her dreams and conflicts with (not to) Eric. She wants to do something better, not just for herself, but for the betterment of the people, especially children. As she engages with charitable work both inside and outside the country, Eric continues to passive-aggressively respond to her desires. Eric, agreeing and nodding to these desires, constantly made her feel like she had to defend herself to her own partner. With the support that she was supposed to be receiving, her decisions made her look like the bad guy in their story.
Phillip (Brendan Fraser) in Rental Family / Still from IMDb
Ellie, being a conflicted woman, is a common perception among audiences. She may not know what she wants for herself and for her partner. She may not know how to navigate herself in a small space that feels limited to her capabilities. However, as we look into the dynamics of their relationship, flaws come from both parties, and these flaws are contained in their personal and social spaces.
Meanwhile, Eric wants a relationship enclosed in a comfortable space. He seeks reassurance, safety, and responsibility within himself and from his partner. Although this space is supposed to offer comfort and peace, we must understand that this is only what Eric wants. It is always about how he wants to handle these responsibilities by himself, always leaving Ellie out of the equation.
On the other hand, Ellie is more than a “soon-to-be wife,” a girlfriend, or even a mother. The physical space inside her “home” with Eric merely felt like a stage set. Even if she desires to be a loving partner for Eric, his responses felt like a chokehold on her dreams and desires in the bigger picture. What more could she want from a man who would constantly point out her wrongdoings instead of actually solving these ambiguities together?
Within the years that Eric and Ellie endured each other, the ending provides us with a quiet reflection of eternal love. Loving someone for a long period of time does not guarantee a stable story for two people. The Loved One strips away the illusion of comfort, permanence, and certainty that most romance films portray in the big cinema.
Most importantly, being self-aware, knowing your personal endeavors, and prioritizing self-discovery were never selfish acts to begin with. In this game of “love” as a survival journey, two people shall inevitably find themselves on their own paths and timeline whenever they are ready.
‘The Loved One’ is now showing in Philippine cinemas.
