Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto’s reunion movie came through with the life lessons some of us needed to hear.
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Spoilers for Un/Happy For You below
While it might seem hard for some to understand how two people who love each other can suddenly become strangers, it does happen, and it usually involves a lot of undiscussed feelings still bubbling under the surface. That’s the case that Un/Happy For You tries to tell its viewers to general success.
Staring former reel and real-life couple Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto, the movie centers on Zy (Barretto) and Juancho (Garcia). After the two have a chance encounter at a chili-eating competition in Bicol, they form a bond that turns romantic. Six years pass though and the two have broken up, with Zy now a writer based in New York while Juancho is the head chef at his family’s restaurant in Naga. When Zy returns to Bicol for a story assignment, she reunites with Juancho in a chance encounter as the two ex-lovers unbury skeletons still lingering from their relationship.
There’s a lot to say about Un/Happy For You with what it gets right (the chemistry between the two leads, the use of Bicol cuisine to help tell the story) and wrong (the underused supporting characters), but more than that, the Petersen Vargas-directed movie comes armed with a few life lessons and truths about the effects of going through an unhealthy breakup and what can lead to a relationship’s downfall. Check out some of them below.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY IN ANY RELATIONSHIP
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People can say what they think makes a relationship strong. But if there’s no proper communication, then forget about making it work. Proper communication is key for any couple who wants to understand each other and avoid situations that can be resolved by just talking. A lack of communication is one of the reasons why Zy and Juancho hated each other after their split. Each person had a different perspective of why it didn’t work, causing misunderstandings that were only resolved when they got to talk years later.
A lack of communication can lead to assumptions filling that hole, which is what happened to Zy and Juancho as they never fully understood why their relationship didn’t work. So, talk about it with your partner. A sign for any green flag relationship is when you’re free and truthful to your significant other.
YOUR PARTNER SHOULDN’T BE YOUR ENTIRE WORLD
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When we’re in love, it can feel as if our whole world revolves around our partner. But while it’s one thing to see your partner as a priority, it’s another to make them your only priority. In one of the most poignant scenes of the film, Zy tearfully tells Juancho that she gave so much of herself to see Juancho’s dreams of opening his own restaurant come true that she ended up neglecting her own wants, dreams, and needs. She started to drown while helping keep Juancho up, which ultimately led to their breakup.
Even if you are in a relationship, it’s still important to have a life outside of your partner. It’s ok, normal, and even encouraged not to end your social life once you’re dating. A singular focus on your main squeeze is not the vibe, and Un/Happy For You isn’t shy about showcasing the pitfalls of this mindset, such as when Juancho missed his restaurant’s investors dinner because he was too consumed with reconciling with Zy. At the end of the day, a real green flag relationship knows how to balance time for each other and the other priorities in their lives.
RELATIONSHIPS ARE A TWO-WAY STREET
INSTAGRAM/GARCIAJOSHUAE/PHOTO BY STAR CINEMA
Zy and Juancho may have been in love (and probably still in love), but their downfall as a couple became apparent as they lacked clear boundaries with each other. In their desire to build their dreams together, their relationship became more unstable. Zy never felt Juancho gave him the same energy for her dreams that she was giving to him, which caused a rift that became too big to fix.
The moment one side starts taking up more air than the other, then it becomes a problem. There are two people in any relationship, so there should be a balance where both sides are heard and respected. No one is and should be above the other as compromise and understanding should be at the center.
YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE TO FIX SOMEONE
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FYI, no one is supposed to be a “savior” in fixing someone’s problems, that is their responsibility. Sure, you can support and help them in their struggles, but at the end of the day, if the person doesn’t want to help themselves, then that is not your concern.
In a memorable monologue, Zy told Juancho that she felt like his mother by the tail end of their relationship, a problem many former couples have faced. As she sacrificed her ambitions to support Juancho, she became like a parent cleaning up after a child. This ultimately led her to distance herself and eventually leave Juancho. So, if a man ever tells you that you’re supposed to make them get better at whatever shortcomings they have, it’s time to think of an escape plan.
PEOPLE YOU MEET AREN’T ALWAYS MEANT TO STAY IN YOUR LIFE
INSTAGRAM/GARCIAJOSHUAE/PHOTO BY STAR CINEMA
It’s a hard pill to swallow, but some people really are just meant to be in certain seasons of your life. Juancho and Zy envisioned a life together, but as they got older and eventually settled their differences, they realized that what they wanted wasn’t in each other.
The final scene displayed that sentiment as scenes of Juancho bringing Zy to the airport when they first met were inter-spliced with scenes of him bringing Zy to the same airport as she leaves for New York (all soundtracked to Moira’s Paubaya, a song that means a lot to the JoshLia lore). As the movie went back and forth between a beginning and ending for the two, it showed that they were ready to let each other go.
It isn’t easy, but the reality is that there are people who show up during specific chapters of your life to teach you a lesson and then naturally move on. What is meant for you will be meant for you. If people leave your life, that is for a reason the universe will let you know when the time is right.
Un/Happy For You is now showing in cinemas nationwide.
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