Romantic comedy ‘Ex Ex Lovers’ starring Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal teaches us a thing or two (or ten) about love in all its diverse forms.
Spoilers ahead for ‘Ex Ex Lovers,’ but hopefully only enough to get you to watch it yourself.
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An unexpected engagement, a trip to Malta to find hunt down an ex-lover, and a begrudging partnership for a romance scheme mark the emotional journey of newly-released rom-com Ex Ex Lovers.
A team-up of an OG loveteam that has been a long time coming, Ex Ex Lovers reunites Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal as separated spouses Ced and Joy as they fulfill their daughter’s dream of having her father walk her down the aisle. Now-single parent Joy heads to Malta to reluctantly find her estranged husband, and despite the animosity between them (particularly on the part of Joy, since Ced up and left a few years ago and hasn’t said a word), they reconnect, and they find that maybe, there’s still some love there.
Ex Ex Lovers is a heartfelt ode to the what-ifs, almosts, and infinite forms of love, as well as to the chemistry and decades-long friendship of Marvin and Jolina, making it a lovely Valentine’s weekend watch with anyone—friends, family, maybe even your ex?
It joins the roster of rom-coms that leaves you crying feel-good tears right after. It’s also got some pretty sharp social commentary! Ex Ex Lovers is nostalgic and full of references to the iconic loveteam that is MarJo, right from the name of her daughter SC (Loisa Andalio) to the cameos from some OG 90s and 2000s Pinoy stars.
Besides laughing and tearing up, we also picked up a few things about love (in all its forms, not just romantic) from the movie. Check them out below.
LOVE DOESN’T ALWAYS NEED A LABEL
Image screenshot from trailer.
Not all relationships fit into neatly defined boxes. Ced and Joy were more than exes; they were best friends, co-parents, and lifelong partners in their own way. Their love didn’t disappear when their romance ended—it simply took on a different meaning. Love comes in many forms, and it doesn’t need a label to be real. As long as it’s felt, it matters.
A PARENT’S LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS
Image screenshot from trailer.
Ex Ex Lovers isn’t just Ced and Joy’s story. The film centers on their newly-engaged daughter’s relationship with her fiancé, and we follow Ced and Joy as they try to balance being supportive and letting SC know she deserves better as a partner. The two, despite the painful truths and tensions of a long history that exist between them, go through lengths to show how much they love their daughter.
THE BEST APOLOGY IS CHANGED BEHAVIOR
Image screenshot from trailer.
If someone you love is sick and tired of you letting them down, don’t try to make excuses and leave it at desperate apologies. If you really regret what you did, make up for it by consistently doing better. Nobody’s perfect, but trying to do right by the people you love in a way that they actually will appreciate is much more productive.
THERE COMES A TIME WHERE YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHEN TO STEP BACK (AND MOVE ON)
Image screenshot from trailer.
Though there are quiet moments where you’re rooting for them to get back together—because you just feel in your heart they belong together—Ced and Joy are the perfect example of knowing when to let go and move on. They know that while they still love each other, they also know they don’t work as a couple—and that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes, things just don’t work out. Sometimes, you have to take different paths. It will hurt, but one day, you might end up thankful that you did.
SOMETIMES SOULMATES AREN’T LOVERS
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A quote from Twitches (2005) comes to mind, “If there’s anything that I know, it’s that love is infinite. You can always make more when you need it.” In the same sense, having deep, meaningful relationships doesn’t always mean having them with romantic partners. Your “soulmate”, if you believe in that, or simply, your person, can be a friend. And just because someone is your soulmate doesn’t mean they’re the only person you can love in such a significant way.
CLOSURE CAN LOOK DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE
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Closure isn’t always about dramatic goodbyes or burning bridges—it can be about acceptance. Sometimes, it looks like an old friend who still knows you better than anyone else. It means learning to laugh at old wounds, finding peace in what was, and moving forward without bitterness.
For Joy and Ced, closure came through redefining what they meant to each other. They started as best friends, and in the end, that’s exactly where they found their way back.
HEALING TAKES TIME—AND SOMETIMES, A LITTLE DISTANCE
Image screenshot from trailer.
Some wounds take time to heal. Ced and Joy had their fair share of toxic traits, issues, and anger toward each other, but stepping away gave them the space to see things more clearly. With time and distance, the resentment faded, and they stopped seeing each other as exes weighed down by the past. Instead, they saw the person they once loved—flaws and all. Take this as a gentle reminder that healing isn’t about a single conversation or a grand apology. It’s a process, and it happens in its own time.
YOU CAN BE HAPPY FOR SOMEONE REGARDLESS OF YOUR HISTORY
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We often think of exes in extremes: we either hate them, or we want them back. But Ex Ex Lovers reminds us that there’s another option—you can simply be happy for them. Joy and Ced reached a point where they could genuinely want the best for each other, even if that “best” didn’t involve being together. And that’s a rare, but beautiful, kind of love.
LOVE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO BE WORTHWHILE
Image screenshot from trailer.
We get so caught up in the idea of perfect love—the kind where everything falls into place, the timing is right, and no one gets hurt. News flash: we’re not fictional characters, and love IRL is messy. You’ll meet people who shape you, challenge you, and sometimes even break you, but that doesn’t make what you shared any less meaningful.
It’s easy to look back at past relationships and wish things had turned out differently, but why regret something that once brought you happiness?
LOVE IS A SERIES OF CHOICES
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Love isn’t just about grand gestures or butterflies—it’s about the choices we make every day. Do you stay? Do you let go? Do you keep choosing someone even when it gets tough? Sometimes, the hardest choice is the right one. In Ex Ex Lovers, Ced and Joy chose to love each other in a different way, and perhaps that was the best choice they’ve ever made.
‘Ex Ex Lovers’ is now showing in cinemas nationwide.
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