?Love Me Again (Land Down Under)?
D: Rory Quintos
S: Piolo Pascual, Angel Locsin

MANILA, Philippines?Angel Locsin was a lovely presence in films like ?Let the Love Begin,? ?Txt? and ?The Promise,? but there was something amiss in her performances in them. Truly, good looks aren?t enough, especially if you?re aiming for credibility and staying power in the acting business.

So, we?re happy to note that, in Rory Quintos? ?Love Me Again (Land Down Under),? Angel comes into her own, and delivers her most accomplished big-screen portrayal yet.

Angel plays Arah Bautista, the headstrong daughter of a poor Bukidnon cowboy (yes, Mindanao has had its own share of bronco-busting, calf-roping and bareback-riding cowboys and rodeo shows since the 1800s). For the longest time, she?s been waiting for the love of her life, the self-absorbed Migo Castro (Piolo Pascual), to make up his mind about truly committing to her.

Debilitating accident

Problem is, he?s left her cold in the past! Migo swears he?s changed for the better, but Arah?s wary about making the same mistake again. With ranch businesses in Bukidnon in dire financial straits, especially after her father has a debilitating accident, Arah soon decides to fly to the Australian outback to work as a cook, against her fiancé?s stern disapproval. So, she leaves without his blessings.

When Migo finally sees the error of his stubborn ways, he decides to work as a stockman in Australia to win Arah back?only to realize that his former fiancée is now engaged to her grouchy boss, the much older Brian Sullivan (Brent Metken). Arah is understandably torn: Is Migo?s ?unreliable? love worth risking a life of financial security and convenience for? After all, hers is a case of ?twice bitten, thrice shy.? Will their love story have a happy ending?

For all the hype and hoopla about the B-graded movie being a great romantic fairy tale, it turns out to be merely serviceable. To be fair, Quintos weaves a technically polished dramatic yarn that benefits from the picturesque beauty of the sprawling Bukidnon landscape (though, other than the occasional kangaroos and koalas onscreen, you?ll hardly see the difference between the Land Down Under and the dusty farmyards of Tagolilong in Davao del Sur).

It?s a good thing the filmmaker is adept at storytelling, so the production?s different plot points are told coherently. But, the tale Quintos spins is too thin and too mawkishly trite, which prevents the movie from truly soaring to dramatic heights. Moreover, the production doesn?t present new insights into its oft-repeated and familiar story.

Pascual is cast as the movie?s token Prince Charming, and he obviously works hard?well, maybe too hard. Because, when the novelty of his bull-riding theatrics wears off (as well as his dashing presence and soul-stirring stares into the vast horizon), viewers are left with nothing much to root for, because he broods all the way through, even in scenes that require him to lighten up and exchange playful banter with his leading lady.

On the other hand, Angel?s role may not be all that heavy, but she effectively brings out Arah?s dilemma through broad and vivid thespic strokes and subtle nuances, so she comes off a winner. Her scenes with Metken, who likewise acquits himself very well, bristle with informed emotional pertinence?she doesn?t just cry for the sake of crying. Now, if only the movie were more substantial than it is...