''That Thing Called Tadhana'' (International title: ''That Thing Called Destiny'') is a 2014 Filipino
romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...
film directed by
Antoinette Jadaone
Antoinette Hilario Jadaone (born April 3, 1984), popularly known as ''Tonet Jadaone'', is a Filipino filmmaker and podcast host. She is best known for directing '' That Thing Called Tadhana'' (2014), ''Love You to the Stars and Back'' (2017), '' ...
who had already worked with Panganiban in the 2014 comedy film, ''
Beauty in a Bottle
''Beauty in a Bottle'' is a 2014 Filipino satirical comedy drama film by Antoinette Jadaone. The film stars Angelica Panganiban, Angeline Quinto, and Assunta de Rossi. It was produced by Quantum Films, Skylight Films and Star Cinema for its 20th ...
.'' It follows Mace (
Angelica Panganiban
Angelica Panganiban (; born Angelica Jane David Charlson on November 4, 1986) is a Filipino actress and vlogger.
Regarded as the new “Queen of Drama” by various media outlets, she is recognized as one of the most seasoned and versatile actr ...
) and Anthony (
JM de Guzman
Juan Miguel Gob de Guzman (born September 9, 1988), popularly known by his screen name JM de Guzman, is a Filipino actor, mixed martial artist, model and singer. He is currently working as an exclusive talent of Star Magic.
Early life and care ...
), who meet at an airport in Rome and decide to travel together upon arriving in the Philippines. As Mace tries to move on from a failed relationship, and Anthony deals with his own disappointments, they develop a deepening kinship.
Plot
Rome
The film starts at an airport in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
where Mace, on her way back to the Philippines, despairs over which of her personal items to keep so she does not exceed the load requirements. As she bemoans her fate and cries over her dilemma, Anthony shows up and offers to carry her extra baggage for her through his unused extra baggage allowance. Mace later reveals that her whole life is in her luggage.
On the plane, Mace watches and emotionally connects with the protagonists of the film ''
One More Chance'' but vehemently declines the pack of tissues offered to her.
Manila
Upon arrival at
NAIA, they go to a Japanese restaurant after Mace expresses her reluctance to go straight home. Anthony shares his reasons for being in Rome but finds that Mace does not share the amazement. Their small talk is cut short when a fellow patron, who has nonchalantly been ignoring an incoming call, irritates Mace. Much later, Mace questions the merit of leaving the future of one's relationship to the winds of fate, or what destiny has to dictate, and declares that it did not sit well with her because she would have done something about it. She then begins to talk about her relationship that just recently ended. An eight-year-long relationship that was broken in just seven words.
They later on end up in a karaoke bar where they sing "
Where Do Broken Hearts Go
"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston, written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson and produced by Narada Michael Walden. The song was the fourth single released from Houston's second studio album, '' Whitney' ...
" together. In a drunken stupor, Mace tells Anthony that she wants to go to
Baguio
Baguio ( , , ), officially the City of Baguio (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
.
On the bus to Baguio, Mace associates a film being shown to a memory she has with her ex-boyfriend. Then at a stopover, after she does the same to everything that Anthony comes up with, she strikes up a deal with him as a means of conditioning herself against the habit. Still, Mace cannot help but ask ''"- how does one forget?"'' and ''"- how long does one take to do it?"''. Anthony points out that ''"- what's important is to forget"'' - how and how long was ''"- up to her"''.
Baguio
In Baguio, Mace makes up her mind about what to do next, declines Anthony's offer to help and lugs her baggage around on her own - something that, although slow, is still manageable. At an art exhibit, Mace discovers Anthony's unfulfilled passion for painting overshadowed by a life driven by requirements and deadlines. So, over lunch, she asks Anthony to illustrate a short story she has written in college entitled ''"The Arrow with a Heart Pierced Through Him"''. Later that night, Mace awakens from a dream involving her ex-boyfriend. Anthony reveals that his dream has been of the two of them just walking along
Session Road
Session Road is a six-lane major road in Baguio, Philippines. The entire road forms part of National Route 231 (N231) of the Philippine highway network.
Route description
Session Road is the main thoroughfare of Baguio in the Philippines and ...
.
Inside a café in Session Road, Mace talks about how she waited eight years for a question that never came. Anthony admits to having been unprepared and shares the loss and pain that he has suffered thereafter along with all other sorts of questions that has gone unanswered. Mace then quotes
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940), widely known simply as Scott Fitzgerald, was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and exces ...
back to him.
Outside the café, Anthony reassures her that she is not ugly at all, tells her that she will recover because it is impossible for an overwhelming love like hers to be wasted or go unreciprocated and quotes Popoy's line from ''One More Chance''. He also reveals to her what he has done in order to forget and move on from his ex-girlfriend who has long since moved on and forgotten about him.
Sagada
Upon arriving in
Sagada
Sagada, officially the Municipality of Sagada (; ; ; ; ; ) is a municipality in Mountain Province, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 11,510 people.
Sagada is famous for its hanging coffins. This is a traditiona ...
, Mace realizes that their belongings have been left behind. While a frantic Anthony tries to negotiate a way to go back, Mace tells him that the baggage does not matter anymore in her present life. As they await for the jeepney bound for Mount
Kiltepan, in the freezing cold, Anthony gallantly drapes his sweater across her shoulders and for the first time spend a few minutes together in thoughtful silence.
They arrive at the camp late in the evening, lie down next to the fire beneath the open sky and talk about what they will wish for if a shooting star was to appear. They drift off to sleep, content with the idea that their wishes will surely be granted.
The next day dawns and they run together to a place at the edge of the mountain and a sea of clouds. There, Mace unloads herself of everything, screams all of her anger, all of her pain and of everything she has been unable say to her ex-boyfriend.
Epilogue
Mace asks about what they did upon reaching the far end of Session Road in his dream. Anthony reveals that he woke up before he got to that part but tells her that if he were to add something to it, it would be that she turns to him slowly to say she will forget her ex-boyfriend.
After a brief moment of silence, Mace replies and says ''"I will forget him."''
Anthony walks Mace home when they find her ex Marco waiting for Mace with a bouquet of flowers asking for another chance. Anthony and Mace are shocked. Anthony leaves to give them some time to talk.
On his way home Anthony is shocked with the events of the past few days but manages to smile.
Mace’s short story plays. The Arrow feels heavier than usual even after losing The Heart pierced through him. The Arrow keeps on going until he meets The Heart again.
The story resumes, showing Anthony driving through Manila, thinking about what Mace said about leaving your fate to the wind. He says to himself that if you really love someone, you should go for it and not wait for the wind to blow her back to you and that you should pull so hard and not let go as long as you can.
Some time later, Anthony decides to illustrate Mace's story and prepares to deliver it to her.
Cast
*
Angelica Panganiban
Angelica Panganiban (; born Angelica Jane David Charlson on November 4, 1986) is a Filipino actress and vlogger.
Regarded as the new “Queen of Drama” by various media outlets, she is recognized as one of the most seasoned and versatile actr ...
as Mace Castillo, who has been to Rome to surprise her boyfriend only to find out that he already has someone else. She then undergoes a self-imposed catharsis with Anthony's help and travels with him to Baguio and Sagada to find out the answer to ''"where do broken hearts go?"''.
*
JM de Guzman
Juan Miguel Gob de Guzman (born September 9, 1988), popularly known by his screen name JM de Guzman, is a Filipino actor, mixed martial artist, model and singer. He is currently working as an exclusive talent of Star Magic.
Early life and care ...
as Anthony Lagdameo, a fellow passenger who offers Mace a solution to her problem on excess baggage. He is able to establish trust, then a connection and eventually travels with Mace as she tries to get over the abrupt end of an eight-year relationship.
*
Joem Bascon
Joseph Emmanuel Bascon (born August 29, 1986), popularly known by the stage name Joem Bascon, is a Filipino actor.
Career
Bascon's first relevance in the entertainment industry came due to his supposed resemblance to established entertainers ...
as Marco, Mace's boyfriend of eight years who extends his stay in Italy for his job and enters into a relationship with someone else. Mace claims that he looks like
John Lloyd Cruz
John Lloyd Espidol Cruz (born June 24, 1983) is a Filipino actor. Regarded as the "''King of Contemporary Cinema''" by the media, Cruz has top-billed several box-office successes. He has more than ten films with box office grosses of ₱100 mill ...
and can associate many things with him.
Production
Director
Antoinette Jadaone
Antoinette Hilario Jadaone (born April 3, 1984), popularly known as ''Tonet Jadaone'', is a Filipino filmmaker and podcast host. She is best known for directing '' That Thing Called Tadhana'' (2014), ''Love You to the Stars and Back'' (2017), '' ...
considers ''That Thing Called Tadhana'' as her "dream project" and described it as "more than 10 years’ worth of love stories, heartaches, heartbreaks, bitterness and acceptance". The lead protagonist, Mace was first drafted during 2014 while Jadaone was filming for ''Relaks, It's Just Pagibig'', the character had a cameo appearance in the said film but was played by
Alessandra De Rossi
Alessandra de Rossi (born Alessandra Tiotangco Schiavone on July 19, 1984) is a Filipino actress and writer. Known for her dramatic and comedic performances in independent film and television, she made her screen debut in the comedy series ''! ...
as opposed to Panganiban.
The film makes use of
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
's song "
Where Do Broken Hearts Go
"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston, written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson and produced by Narada Michael Walden. The song was the fourth single released from Houston's second studio album, '' Whitney' ...
", inflating the cost beyond the film's ₱2 million budget awarded by the
film festival
A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online.
Films may be of recent ...
. The crew turned to donations from fans on Facebook to raise funds to obtain the rights to the song before its film festival premiere.
Release
''That Thing Called Tadhana'' was met with both commercial and critical success and was praised as one of the highest grossing Filipino
independent film
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is film production, produced outside the Major film studios, major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independ ...
of all time, breaching ₱134 million
gross revenue
In accounting, revenue is the total amount of income generated by the sale of product (business), goods and services related to the primary operations of a business.
Commercial revenue may also be referred to as sales or as turnover. Some compan ...
in under 3 weeks, despite facing
piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...
issues online during its run. It was graded "A" by the
Cinema Evaluation Board
The Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB) is a body of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, tasked with grading Filipino films by quality. It is represented in the Philippine Film Export Services Office.
The CEB was established in 2003, su ...
and given a PG rating by the
MTRCB
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB; ; is a Philippine government agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines that is responsible for the classification and review of television programs, motion pict ...
.
Reception
Critical response
ClickTheCity.com's Philbert Ortiz Dy praised the film by giving a 5 stars out of 5 rating. He writes:
Oggs Cruz of
Rappler
Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripples") is a Mass media in the Philippines, Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and convicted cyberlibelist ...
writes in a positive review:
Accolades
Sequel
According to actor JM de Guzman who played Anthony Lagdameo in the film, the director is already writing the script for the sequel. This was also confirmed by Panganiban that the film is currently in-development.
The director of the film (Jadaone) will return as the writer and director, stating that she would agree to work on a sequel, but “in the right conditions.”
References
External links
*
Official Traileron
YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
{{Antoinette Jadaone
2014 films
Philippine romantic comedy films
Star Cinema films
Star Cinema comedy films
Philippine New Wave
Films directed by Antoinette Jadaone