Back in July, movie audiences in
the Philippines were held in thrall to the dramatic story of two Overseas
Filipino Workers who find love with each other in Hong Kong, only to be hampered
by their conflicting familial interests. Star Cinema’s “Hello, Love, Goodbye”
was also a big cinematic draw because its lead romantic tandem was formed from
two stars hailing from rival television networks, them being Kathryn Bernardo
and Alden Richards. Such was the reception of the film with fans that ABS-CBN
Books adapted the story into a novel with extra plot. Half a year after its
premiere, the movie can still elicit emotions.
That was proven last week, as CNN Philippines would have it, when Star
Cinemas decided to showcase certain elements of “Hello, Love, Goodbye” online
that never quite made it to the final cut. Like any film, this production saw
the trimming of certain scenes to streamline running time when screened in
theaters. Last Friday, December 13, these various deleted footage were compiled
into a single video that was uploaded to Star Cinema’s official YouTube
channel. Many of these scenes shed further light on the personalities and
dynamics of the leads with each other and the people around them in story.
One particular scene that stands
out was an example of lost opportunities, for it featured Cantonese actress
Pang Mei Sheung in a brief appearance Mrs. Chung, who comforts Joy (Bernardo)
after she returns to her room at midnight after a long day of work. Pang’s character
encourages Joy to rest up, despite the latter’s obsessing over her domestic
helper job with which she is earning money for her family back in the Philippines.
Mrs. Chung points out that Joy cannot afford to neglect her own self for the
sake of work and money, emphasizing to Joy, “You love you, too.”
The struggle of Joy, who finds
herself torn between making money in Hong Kong for her folks before returning home
and deciding to stay with boyfriend Ethan (Alden Richards), a bartender who
will soon be certified as a HK resident, and with his family already living
with him there, forms the crux of the drama for Star Cinema’s “Hello, Love,
Goodbye.” The film is now the all-time highest-grossing Filipino movie, having
made P880.6 million in local and international box offices.
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