Friends who fall in love with each other? The plot is cliché and has been done so many times, but we love it because we’ve all been there. Yes, we have. Don’t deny it. Plus, this movie starred Jolina Magdangal and Marvin Agustin—the best comedic love team of our generation.
“Labs Kita, Okey Ka Lang?” is a cinematic masterpiece whose dialogues we still quote to this day. There’s much to talk about so let’s plunge into this amazing movie.
The movie opens with a montage—which is always a good sign—and then cuts to Bujoy (Jolina) and Ned (Marvin) together in the former’s room at night.
I don’t find this situation OK.
They’re college students with raging hormones. If I were Bujoy’s mom, I’d be worried, or wonder why I even let the sleepover happen in the first place. Can’t they just hang out in the living room? Bujoy’s family has a pretty big house, and I’m sure there are other places these two can stay in besides the teenage girl’s room. I guess Bujoy’s mom, Marissa (Hilda Koronel), is not like a regular mom. (She’s a cool mom!)
Ned and Bujoy even have ladders that allow access to their respective rooms. Were there no house robberies in Baguio in the ‘90s? But I admit I liked that idea when I was younger; it seemed quaint.
Anyway, Bujoy and Ned snack on Pringles dipped in Coke—something I used to pretend I liked because of this movie. What a waste of Pringles—which were very expensive then—and Coke.
Another idea I got from this movie was putting flowers in between pages of books. I eventually learned that doing so makes the flowers’ “juices” or whatever seep out and stain the paper. It’s a mess.
I love Mayo’s (Meryll Soriano) fashion sense, and I can see her being a fashion blogger today. She would totally kill it. #fashion #blogger #fashionblogger #fblogger #fashionista #ootd #wiwt #style #matching #streetstyle #trendy #baguio #vintage #pinay #asian #instafashion #igdaily #igers #headtotoeprints #fierce #iwokeuplikethis
Speaking of #fashion, Jolina really was a trendsetter. I bought one of those woven shoulder bags because she made them look cool. I also coveted her long, straight hair. And the men! Baggy t-shirts, hair parted in the middle—I’m glad we’re over those. Not that I’m a fan of guys in super skinny jeans, but they’re better off this way.
We get a preview of Ned’s and Bujoy’s family dramas. Bujoy is the weird one in her family of classy females, while Ned’s is just chaotic. Raise your hands if you were able to relate to Ned for having a mother who gets irritable whenever she doesn’t have money…which is basically ALL THE TIME.
Meanwhile, I sympathized with Bujoy when she found out that her single mom has a boyfriend. I get it, Bujoy. I mean, what does she need a man for? She’s fine by herself! But now I’d actually be supportive if my own mom went on dates. It would be weird, but I’m not averse to the idea anymore.
And then Gio Alvarez shows up. I genuinely found his character Cenon hot—hotter than Ned, definitely. Yeah, lip sync to that Eraserheads song, Cenon!
The first major conflict of the movie emerges when Ned meets Mary Ann (Vanessa del Bianco), who’s everything Bujoy isn’t: pretty, bubbly, sexy and girly. As if I needed to relate to Bujoy even more. I feel you, girl. I’m not all of those things either.
Ned asks Bujoy to set him up on a date with Mary Ann, and of course, Bujoy doesn’t want to because she’s in love with him. And I’ve been there, you guys. (We’ve all been there! Gahd.)
When I was in high school, I had a HUGE crush on this guy. He was cute, tall, funny and super smart, and I’ve been nursing a crush on him since sixth grade. Unfortunately, he had a crush on another girl who was a close friend. He used me as a wingman, just like Ned did with Bujoy.
He texted me about his feelings for this girl, and asked me what he should do or say. All the while, I was trying to show my cool and fun personality. But whenever I felt like we were going in the direction I wanted during our conversations, he would start asking questions about this girl again. It was awful. Ah, teenage life! I wrote so many cringe worthy poems because of my unrequited love for him. End of story: He confessed his crush to this girl, but they didn’t end up together. (hahaha!) The following year he got himself a girlfriend. (huhuhu)
When Bujoy tells Ned that she had successfully set up a date between him and Mary Ann, Ned starts playfully planting kisses on Bujoy’s face out of happiness and excitement. I remember my guy best friend in high school used to do that, too. Just a single kiss on the cheek, though, and it didn’t happen that often. He ended up being my first boyfriend. What I’m saying is that I had basically lived “Labs Kita, Okey Ka Lang?” Art imitating life! Holla.
Then Cenon makes a move on Bujoy.
<cue double date montage>
All these scenes look painful. Like, why even double date, guys? Stop torturing yourselves and making each other peanut butter and jealous.
Can I also say that the soundtrack of this movie is on point? Are we still making cheesy songs, OPM artists? Please say yes.
And then we finally arrive at this scene:
OMG this scene. Let us bask in its glory as we break it down.
First of all, I love the shot that shows Bujoy from inside the car, fixing stuff, while Ned is in focus in the background. And when Ned announces that he and Mary Ann are officially a couple, the camera shifts focus on Bujoy’s blank face. It was perfect dramatic timing.
Bujoy breaks down and screams all her feelings. Ned hugs her, somewhat confesses his feelings, and pulls out all these lame ass excuses. Question for the men: Is the fear of losing the girl friend you love so great that you would rather not have her as your girlfriend?
Bujoy gives a great summary of what Ned is—a selfish coward. Run away from that boy, Bujoy!
And then we are given another gem: Bujoy and her mother’s confrontation. When I first saw this scene, I felt for Bujoy and her teen drama about feeling misunderstood. Like, what does my mom know anyway? But now I’d probably dish out some tough love to Bujoy and tell her that she needs to give her mother a break.
The line I always remember from this movie is, “You made me feel ugly, Ma!” And it’s not because my mother made me feel ugly. (Although she didn’t make me feel super pretty either.)
We joke about how no child is ugly in the eyes of his or her mother. Well, my mom’s not like that; I don’t get free compliments just because I’m her daughter. And I’ve accepted that. I was a tomboy and nerdy-looking when I was in high school and college. I didn’t know how to dress myself or get my face done. She bought cute clothes and shoes, but I refused to wear them because I wasn’t comfortable in them, which probably frustrated her.
Now I know how to fix myself. Thus, she can finally tell me I’m beautiful or sexy—but, again, only when applicable. Would I rather she lied? I don’t know.
We are blessed for a few minutes with the acting powers of Ronaldo Valdez in his scene with Gina Pareño. Ronaldo’s face was a mixture of humiliation, anger, frustration and love. He didn’t overdo it, too. UGH. And Gina Pareño is always a joy to watch.
So they cranked up the tension through a bus chase scene. We will see these “will they, won’t they make it” moments forever and ever. And just when all hope of being together is seemingly lost, one of them appears out of nowhere, and we buy it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Because destiny! And love!
I like how, in the end, Ned and Bujoy awkwardly say, “I love you,” to each other. Ned used to jokingly say it all the time, but now it’s different; it’s weird and they will try to see how this goes. I think I’m not alone in saying this: I want to know what happens next.
Ned and Bujoy, forever in our hearts.
Edited by Allan Policarpio
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