'MINSAN, MINAHAL KITA' SUCCEEDS DESPITE ITS FLAWS
by Leah Salterio-Gatdula, Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 20, 2000

NOW on its third week at theaters, the Sharon Cuneta-Richard Gomez movie, "Minsan Minahal Kita" continues to do well at the box office. The much-hyped movie apparently works, how else do you explain the P10 million opening day take?

The story of two people, married to separate partners, who fall in love with each other has been done before but the audience didn't seem to mind. Even non-Sharon-Goma fans trooped to movie houses to watch the film.

My friend, Ivy Mendoza, and I watched "Minsan Minahal Kita" last week not just to find out why the movie is doing well but also to see how a lady director like Olive Lamasan handled a tired and trite theme.

By this time, most everyone knows the story of "Minsan Minahal Kita." Sharon is Diane Nepomuceno, a seminar consultant who's unhappily married to Louie (Edu Manzano), a wife-abuser and philanderer.

As fate in the person of the scriptwriter would have it, Diane keeps bumping into Albert Simon (Richard Gomez), a real estate contractor, and before they know it, the two become romantically involved. Initially, they try to suppress their feelings, knowing full well they're not free to love each other, but passion rules over reason.

They carry on with their illicit affair for three years, until Diane's younger sister (Ciara Sotto) discovers her infidelity and tells their mom (Rosemarie Gil) about it. The mom is furious, prompting Diane to call it quits with Albert.

Albert begs Diane not to end their relationship and convinces her to go with him to the States. Diane finally relents and decides to leave her husband and kid to be with the man she loves. It is Albert who gets cold feet as his wife (Angel Aquino) pleads with him to stay. He decides to give their marriage another chance. Diane is devastated.

While some parts of the movie made us cry, we are reminded of Hollywood films that had a similar plot..

The scene where the grown-up kids of Sharon and Richard (Marvin Agustin and Christine Hermosa) reminisce on their parents' romance is straight out of the Clint Eastwood-Meryl Streep starrer, "Bridges of Madison County."

When Diane makes a mad dash for the airport to catch Albert who is flying to the United States, we remember another Meryl Streep romantic starrer, "Falling in Love." Streep's car nearly collides with a train as she runs after Robert de Niro, who was also leaving.

Another scene shows Diane and Albert in their romantic hideaway in Tagaytay blowing the candles of a cake to celebrate their third anniversary as "secret lovers." That, too, seems to have been borrowed from "Same Time Next Year," which stars Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn.

And the happy ending, although set on a highway and not on a subway reminds us again of "Falling in Love," where Streep and De Niro meet once more on a train.

"Minsan Minahal Kita" covers a period from from the mid-'80s to the present. However, we noticed only Sharon's dresses changed with the passing of the years. In a scene that's supposed to take place in1986, Richard is seen working on a construction site in beige cargo pants, something that belongs to the present.

We were surprised at another oversight . There 's a four-year difference between the time Diane and Albert meet at the school of their children to Albert's departure for the States. However, Diane's kid still looks the same after four years.

Despite its flaws, the film manages to carry the audience along predictable romantic twists and a few revival ballads like "Why Do We Fall in Love," Barry Manilow's "Somewhere Down the Road" and Zsa Zsa Padilla original hit, "Hiram" (which Sharon recorded for the movie).

It is interesting to note that the supporting cast of "Minsan Minahal Kita" makes their mark onscreen, especially Edu, whom moviegoers will definitely loathe as the villain husband of Sharon.

Carmina Villaroel plays an offbeat role as the sassy, lesbian half sister of Sharon, although Carmina did not figure in any sexual scenes.

Angel Aquino is definitely no Cherie Gil as the contravida. But she has her shining moments as Menchu, the rich wife of Albert who always gets what she wants.

How we wish that Ciara Sotto were given more lines. She was underutilized in this movie.

"Minsan" undoubtedly thrives on the formulaic imprint of most romantic dramas, but this one is a winner because you have the much-awaited screen reunion of erstwhile sweethearts Sharon and Richard. Their hordes of fans were eager to see them together again, albeit only on the big screen, which contributed largely to the huge box office success of the film.

When promoting the movie, Sharon kept saying they were not condoning adultery. True enough, "Minsan Minahal Kita" tries to redeem its plot by making Diane and Albert give up their love.

To those who have their respective Dianes or Alberts, the movie offers hope that if you're really meant for each other, fate will bring you back together. And letting go doesn't necessarily mean that the love is gone. Just like the Barry Manilow ballad says at the end of the movie, the two may have "the right love at the wrong time," but "somewhere down the road, our roads are gonna cross again, it doesn't really matter when."

So who cares about the borrowed plot? "Minsan Minahal Kita" delivered at the box office. And to a commercial project with superstar cast, that's perhaps the most important thing.

With a Sharon-Richard tandem at tills, you cannot really go wrong.