This review may contain spoilers
A very enjoyable light watch that leaves you with a smile
I watched the movie, after having watched the series about 6 weeks previously. I like the movie much better. At just 80 minutes it tells a more coherent and compact story (without the interruptions and distractions of watching the series episodes one after another). I think the movie gives the viewer a much better feel for the emotions and reactions of the two lead characters. Their interactions made more sense when viewed as a single work, and the end was really a satisfying logical conclusion, rather than rather random (which is what I recalled thinking after seeing the series.)Story: Simple and straightforward, about two guys who find each other on a Christmas holiday. The interest is not in the story arc as presented, it is in the insights into what they are thinking and feeling -- the bellboy who is accustomed to being more-or-less dehumanized and turned into a sex toy, and the visitor who has lost a love and is not very interested in finding a sex toy. ("I;m game for that if ever, but that's not why I asked you to come in.")
Acting: Very good. Kaloy recreates James' standoffish personality with great success -- sometimes I didn't much like him, because he was just a bit too stuck up. Genesis was a joy to watch -- both because of his great portrayal of the flirty, eager and yet worried bellboy, and because his makeup and hairdo accentuated his gorgeous big brown eyes! In the beginning, the two didn't seem at all comfortable with each other -- but I think that was inherent in the roles! Later, there is a sweet hugging-in-bed scene, and a joyful romp around the bedroom with lots of playful embraces. I think the combination worked very well at the end.
Cinematography: Good, but nothing special. The whole thing was filmed during the pandemic at a resort, which accounts for the limited scope for different scenes and the lack of additional characters.
Music -- generally good, if not passionate I especially liked the use of "The Nutcracker's" Waltz of the Flowers as background for the online dance done by the two characters as they feinted and parried each other with text messages on their mobile phones. That was genius.
All in all, this is a very enjoyable light watch. It won't fill you with emotion or make you cry, but it will leave you with a smile.
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This review may contain spoilers
love the actors
The story is sweet. Hey, who doesn't want romance when they are on a getaway? When you are on a break in a new place we all hope for a little adventure. New place, new people, anything is possible. The story plays around with this. To give you a not unique but cute storyline. The actors are good. These two actors played their roles well. Genesis Redido makes his character charming, which is hard because he is constantly lying, and frisky. Kaloy Tingcungco character is sincere and brave. It was a little too short, but loved it.Was this review helpful to you?
But somehow, the emergence of dating apps into our lives causes people, when faced with loneliness, disconnection and discouragement, to leave their lover and look for another partner online. "Why put in the effort to make what I have work, when there are so many fish in the sea?" is a reality many face.
The idea of reflecting the feelings of many people (queer or not) who experience this situation comes from director HJ Habac.
'Meet Me Outside', the Filipino series from the creators of the fabulous 'Gaya Sa Pelíkula' and 'Marahuyo Project', blames the lack of romance on the thousands of human beings who prefer not to want to make the effort to commit because "it is much more easy to pick up your cell phone and connect with someone else to hang out".
With a script by Juan Miguel Severo ('Gaya Sa Peíkula', 'Dear Karl', 'Heaven's Waiting') and newcomer Jesse Rey Baban, we see the birth of a love relationship within the entire range of possible relationships in the dating world virtual, as well as the imposition that surrounds those first dates in which we try to give a better version of ourselves.
I find the creativity of the people behind the camera very striking when designing the opening credits as text message notifications. And in this sense, Mark Vince Gregorio also contributes in editing and photography.
The plot revolves around James, a rich young influencer from Manila with thousands of followers on social media, who has just suffered a tough breakup. However, upon arriving at the La Estreas resort, located in Rizal, his life will change when he decides to leave his wounded heart behind and get back into the game of the dating universe. In this case, he establishes a connection both in the digital world and in the real world, with Dale, a hotel worker, who for some time has had a secret crush on the idol he follows on social networks.
Here Kaloy Tingcungco and Genesis Redido, who play James and Dale, respectively, prove themselves again as actors, after their respective debuts in series precisely with LGBT+ themes, since the first is known for playing Martin Ilagan, a secondary character in 'Boys' Lockdown', from 2020, while Redido gave life to Joseph "Otep" Malaya, in the drama 'In Between', starring him alongside Migs Villasis, also from the same year.
'Meet Me Outside' is better written and performed by its two leads, a department in which they did not excel in their respective acting debuts.
The audience will get to know the characters as they talk in a friendly manner, which is pleasant to see as they feel as if they were two real characters. It seems very genuine to me, as I feel like a connection was forming in a world where, no matter how connected we may seem, we are often very far apart.
In this way, we can get to know that Dale is a humble local, breadwinner of the family economy, very clingy and playful in sexual and romantic matters, who considers that physical contact is his main language in love, so it would be difficult to get involved in a long distance relationship.
On the other hand, we will learn that James had an open relationship with his partner, but his ex-boyfriend violates the only rule of the agreement: falling in love with the other boy, the reason for the recent breakup.
While Jame wanted to see the face of the person he's talking to, Dale thinks that the guy on the other end of the line is only interested in proposing sex. However, Dale has never established a relationship with a guest because he considers it inappropriate due to his status as a hotel worker, in addition to the fact that the visitor is only on vacation, and would eventually leave in a few days.
And despite acknowledging that relationships are difficult to maintain with someone you meet online, since everything moves so quickly, Dale and James meet, talk, and establish a loving connection. As James assures us, he and Dale are taking risks and hoping their romance works.
The viewer will find convincing in Episode 2's use of Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" to represent the nervousness, the hesitation, the growing tension between the two protagonists as they interact via text messages via the dating app gay.
The structure of shorter episodes than usual for this type of series makes the show work, giving it a certain charm and keeping everything at a really good pace. However, this undermines the possibility of better developing the characters and conflicts.
'Meet Me Outside' also shows that kisses and erotic scenes are not necessary to show great chemistry between the two protagonists.
The soundtrack, in which you can hear the songs "Pavement" and "Danger", composed by April Hernandez and performed by TheSunManager, as well as "Silent Night", a traditional song, and "Pahintulo", by Shirebound & Busking, It fulfills its function of emotionally reinforcing and underlining the tones during various specific moments of the series.
So, dear reader, I invite you to watch 'Meet Me Outside'.
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