| In Hello, Love, Goodbye, Joy (Kathryn Bernardo) is living in Hong Kong; a temporary stop in between her family in the Philippines and her future in Canada. There are some obstacles in the way, primarily that she needs money for her visa and immigration paperwork but her work permit in Hong Kong only allows for work as a domestic helper, so to make more money, she’s working illegally. | | 2019
Directed by: Cathy Garcia-Sampana
Screenplay by: Carmi Raymundo, Cathy Garcia-Sampana, Rona Co
Starring: Kathryn Bernardo, Alden Richards
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It’s that predicament that leads directly to one of the best meet-cutes in the romantic drama genre. Joy, on the run from cops, is hiding in garbage bags until she is found by Ethan, when Joy realizes that Ethan is a bartender and not the cops she’s relieved and about to go on her way, until the real cops show up, and Joy impetuously starts kissing Ethan and in turn hides her face from the cops who were looking for her.
What I love about that scene is that it is completely opposite to how these characters normally behave. Joy is naturally a reserved girl, a very smart and determined girl who buries herself in her work to reach for a better life. She’s not spontaneous, she’s not disrespectful, she does not break the law – except for right now temporarily working illegal jobs so she can legally get herself to Canada.
Meanwhile, Ethan was taken aback by that kiss. He’s a player, the one who has always made the first move, has always been the aggressor, and has never had a smart, studious girl come onto him. Joy was only doing it to hide from the cops, but Ethan is still fascinated by this creature, not one of his usual “days of the week” girls.
An old screenwriting rule says that movies need clocks. Could be a literal ticking clock or more the common, more subtle time frame to guide the action. That’s what we have here, Joy is moving to Canada in two months. There’s an end date on their relationship. But whenever they spend time together, they just want to spend more time together. They’re a cute couple with good chemistry and it’s easy to see the appeal.
The movie also does an exceptionally good job of dealing with the immigration and emigration of people on the move. There’s a whole community of Filipinos in Hong Kong, and the movie really captures that spirit of people finding each other within a very hectic city. Combine that with the efforts they go to for a better life for themselves.
Hello, Love, Goodbye is a simple romantic drama but one that just effortlessly creates a light tone blending comedy with the seriousness of everyday life for people like Joy. And it does so with the background of life for immigrants and emigrants in a very unique city.
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