You Changed My Life

"Kilig"-meister Cathy Garcia-Molina and the gang return for more cutesy romance in "You Changed My Life", a sequel (of a rom-com!) to last year's sleeper hit "A Very Special Love" that provides less fairy tale romance (and rain dance) and more reality-grounded conflicts (and power hugs) than its blockbusting predecessor. Adequately made, largely inoffensive, and tantalizingly recognizable, it's merely a rework of the Sarah Geronimo-John Lloyd Cruz tandem that, for better or worse, never attempts to be more than a second cinematic endeavor largely due to the on-screen couple's uncanny ability to rake in the box office receipts.

Six months into their relationship, Bachelor Magazine's editorial assistant Laida Magtalas (Geronimo) has since become an advertising executive for the lad mag's publication company, while Miggy Montenegro (Cruz) has left his one-time editorial duties to work on the industrial textile company his family owns, and their neatly yet cloyingly wrapped up problems from "A Very Special Love" prove to be a transient happily-ever-after when both are forced to confront new demons in their fledgling relationship. Laida suddenly feels Miggy is putting too much of his time in his career and views it as his mere indifference to their relationship; while Miggy's trying to reach a quota for the factory while still finding time to pander to her requests, and jealously keep her high school best friend (Rayver Cruz) at bay.

The overall result of all this, however, is that it comes across like an obligatory attempt to extend a wafer-thin material rather than a natural progression of motivations, especially since the bubbly airheadedness of "A Very Special Love" is now replaced by more serious undertakings on relationships. Whereas Geronimo's frivolous ditz worked fine in a cheery setup, "You Changed My Life"'s insistence to abandon its fluffy workspace yet paradoxically retain its lead's head-on-the-clouds disposition is gawkily disconcerting, despite the combined charm of its leads. At least they have matured enough to sort their problems in private, away from a roomful of people.