The new combination of young stars John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah
Geronimo is coming to the big screen this July 30. A Very Special Love is
part of Star Cinema's 15th anniversary presentation, along with Sharon Cuneta's
Caregiver, which recently went on a series of international screenings
for the past two months.
This romantic comedy is megged by the 2007 Box Office Director Cathy Garcia-Molina. The female director excitedly recounts the first time the project was offered to her, which is a co-production with Viva Films. "Its about a girl who's a dreamer, who wants to be more than what she is now. Simple, ordinary just like all of us. And a guy who is there at the top, mayaman, gwapo, may sariling business, wala nang hahanapin pa. So how do they fall in love, paano ‘pag nagkita sila? Ano ang dynamics nila?"
The movie has a very light material, but Cathy digs deeper into the psyche of his characters. "Ako personally ang gusto ko talagang sagutin na tanong ‘pag ikaw ba nagmahal, dapat ka bang humingi ng kapalit na pagmamahal? Dapat mo bang antayin na mahalin ka pabalik?"
After his successful team up with Bea Alonzo and Direk Cathy in One More Chance, John Lloyd is both optimistic and nervous about his character Miggy. "'Pag tiningnan ko siya sa labas, itatanong mo agad, paano ko ba siya tatanggapin o mamahalin. Mabigat ‘yon kasi hindi siya ideal character. Sa simula ng pelikula maaring i-hate mo siya pero kapag nag-progress ang pelikula, lalabas ang mga dahilan kung bakit mo siya mamahalin o maiintindihan."
The male actor, who won the Best Actor Award in the recently concluded Golden Screen Awards of the Enpress, is very positive about his new leading lady.
Sarah, who plays Laida in the film, is feeling the heat because this is her first starring movie. "Ito na ‘yong matagal ko nang ipinagdarasal. Very thankful ako sa Star Cinema and sa Viva, kay Boss Vic [del Rosario], dahil feeling ko another step na naman ito sa career ko. Si John Lloyd na po ‘yan at sobrang honored po ako na ako po ang kanyang ka-tandem para sa pelikulang ito. Napaka-humble po niya at approachable kahit na sobrang sikat na siya."
Direk Cathy says of her actors, "Si Sarah kasi we have known her to be I think a dramatic actress. Based sa mga soap operas na dinaanan nya, halos lahat serious ‘di ba. It's a revelation to me, except for MMK [Maalala Mo Kaya] nagpakita siya ng lightness, napatunayan ko sa pelikulang ‘to grabe pala yang batang yan...magaan, kikay, madaling makatrabaho. Di ako nahirapan sa kanya."
The female director admitted that she felt pressure in handling John Lloyd since she knows that there will always be comparisons between A Very Special Love and One More Chance.
"Mas hirap ako kay John Lloyd kasi ilang pelikula na napatunayan ni John Lloyd na marunong siya, isa siyang magaling na artista. Isa ako sa naniniwala na kung di siya ang pinakamagaling, he's one of the best and so it's a pressure for me and John Lloyd also paano mame-maintain. Para hindi lumabas sa sinehan yung mga tao [na sinasabi] ‘Ay mas gusto ko yung One More Chance, ay mas magaling siya sa ganito.'
"Ang hirap kay John Lloyd, he portrays medyo similar characters, leading man e. Wala naman siyang naging role na psychotic, sira ulo, wala e. Sinasabi ko lagi kay John Lloyd, the test of a true actor is doing similar and ordinary roles differently every time. That's our task in this movie—how to make this ordinary character na napanood mo na rin sa iba from your other roles. And in fairness to him, John Lloyd delivers, with glowing results," observes Direk Cathy.
John Lloyd and Sarah are both looking forward to the reactions of their respective fans to their first collaboration. "Sabi ng mga nakakausap ko, natutuwa sila sa teasers na nakikita nila sa TV," says John Lloyd. "Si Sarah din naman wala akong naging kaproble-problema sa trabaho. Mabait na mabait siya. Direk Cathy naman, as always, she did a great job with us. Kaya naman wala akong mahihiling pa for this project. Sana magustuhan ng mga tao."
Sarah agrees, "Ang wish ko ay makurot namin ang puso ng ating mga Kapamilya, masiyahan sila, ma-in love, lumabas ng mga sinehan na nakangiti. Special ang A Very Special Love, sana po, maging special din ito para sa lahat!"
A Very Special Love opens in theaters nationwide on July 30, 2008.
Trailer courtesy of Star Cinema
