Succeeding Amidst Failing

Star Cinema's "The Hows of Us"

“The Hows of Us" is a movie directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina. This movie is such a masterpiece, the scene where heavy rain was falling while the couple was fighting about how failure ruined not only their relationship but also their dreams is now a timeless cinema classic.

The Hows of Us is a film about how our failure from achieving our dreams does not affect the people we love but it is how we face failure that affects them. There's this scene from the film that everything went downhill for them. Primo (Daniel Padilla) was not getting any gigs and was having difficulties in communicating with his band that soon came up to an end leaving Primo more depressed to the point where he ended up wasting his money on alcohol. Georgina (Kathryn Bernardo) a med student at the moment, kept looking for side hustles or "raket" so that they will have money to pay for their bills. As times goes by, Georgina did not care about how stubborn Primo became, she just supports him because she believes that the old Primo will soon return. Months after, Georgina breaks down in tears on her birthday and vents it out on Primo. Out of anger and exhaustion she blames Primo for the situation she's in because her life also became miserable and her dream of becoming a doctor came to an abrupt end since she didn't take the exam because she can't leave Primo behind the street. I understand what Georgina was feeling, she's tired and has a lot on her plate. Primo, then sang a birthday song while holding pieces of cakes he didn't even buy. After her break down, she asks Primo to leave saying that she wants to start a new life, a life without him. Well, Primo leaves but what she wanted was to be heard and for Primo to stay and make his life better with her on his side.

In addition, there are many other scenes that made me feel like I was on Georgina's situation, like the one when Primo came back to the Philippines to make amends with Georgina and start a new life with her, but Georgina on the other hand, wanted to earn money so she can bring her brother to Amsterdam and look for their father. The two former lovers met again and faced a situation of living in a house they previously shared which they inherited from their Tita Lola after she passed away. After many days of living in the same roof, Georgina and Primo became close again just like before but Georgina can't stomach living with her ex-lover because she doesn't want to be weak and let herself fall in love again since she still has doubts that Primo didn't change, she recalls about giving up so much for him and going through heartbreak before Primo leaves her, saying she doesn't want to be in that situation again. Here is my favourite part and where I can mostly relate, in the middle of an argument, Georgina leaves the house while heavy rain was pouring. "How could you give up so easily? How could you not find a reason to stay?" She delivered that line with full of emotion, imagine how great of an actress she is, anyway, after the confrontation, she then told Primo to leave and that she will sell the house. She goes to her friend's house to fetch some drink and stay for a bit to talk about what happened and Georgina said, "Admit it you're proud of me, I'm not a fool anymore" then, her friend replied "You're not happy" that line hit so hard. Sometimes, in love, when you use your heart, you are foolish, on the other hand, when you use your brain, you're not happy. So, what decision will be right?

Moreover, I must admit that The Hows of Us really did leave me in a situation where my feelings are mixed because even though it has a happy ending, I still can't forget what I felt during their confrontations. This film is one of my favourites because of how amazing the casts are, and because the story revolves around those who wish of growing old while reaching their dreams together with their special someone even if they have to face struggles and the reality of life. Also, the movie is so relatable especially in the part where Georgina and her younger brother were looking for their father's love.