Finally, I was able to see this movie after a week or so in the cinema. I was actually kind of bummed when I wasn’t able to see it first after I’ve waited for it for so long. From the onset, I was rooting for this romantic comedy to succeed. But with romcom mistress Joyce Bernal at the helm of this movie based on the bestselling book by funny man Ramon Bautista, how can it go wrong?

BDKCNCM covers the story of Sandy Veloso, a naive ugly duckling who has failed time and again in love because of her weird sense of style and her lack of self esteem. Alex Prieto, on the other hand is her handsome new boss, who on the outside seems confident and capable, but is actually dealing with his own heartbreak like Sandy. When Alex learns of Sandy’s plight, he offers to help her become confident and assertive in order to get back at her ex. In exchange, he asks Sandy to help him rebuild his failing record company after his grandfather assigns him to save the label. Things get complicated when feelings start to get in the way.

Being a fan of Kim Chiu, I must admit that I have seen all of her movies and supported her television series for as long as I remember. And by far, I think this is her best romantic comedy to date. It was a bit of a change to see her star opposite anyone other than her former loveteam Gerald Anderson on the big screen but Xian Lim was a pretty good fit. The two lead stars had excellent chemistry when they were paired off in teleseryes but even more so when they are the main focus of the story.

What I enjoyed most about this movie was the comedy. Kim had excellent timing and she really went all out to give life to her quirky character. She really brought it. I also enjoyed that the air of relaxation among the other cast members. They seemed to be so comfortable with each other and with their roles — even Mylene Dizon seemed like she was having fun with her exaggerated movements that it was hard not to laugh along with their antics.

And because Star Cinema’s trademark calls for some touching family moments and moments of realization in the story, I must say that the cast delivered in this aspect as well. I think the transition from comedy to drama was well executed, mainly because of a really witty script that wove together Ramon Bautista’s list of practical advice for the brokenhearted with a simple story that everyone can relate to. His appearances in key points of the film was a great way to transition from one point of the story to the next.

My main complaint would probably have to be that the story was too simple and too short that everything just seemed to have happened all of a sudden. I think that with a little more story development, the movie could have been more special, especially in terms of developing the love story between Alex and Sandy, or the resolution to Alex’s issues with his grandfather. That part was a little open ended for me.

All in all, it was a really fun movie to watch because the characters were so relatable and the comedy was priceless. It went over the top with the hilarity and the love story and pulled it off with an excellent cast and a director who can do romcom in her sleep. Kudos to Star Cinema and to everyone who made this simple plot magical.