Have you ever seen a film that felt like a breath of fresh air? After all the bad news and love stories that have become all too saturating, it’s a pleasant experience to see a movie that’s simple but still bursting with insights about the beauty of life.
That’s what Unforgettable does. This newest masterpiece starring Sarah Geronimo shows nothing but pure and unconditional love. And no, we’re not talking about kilig moments. We’re talking about the love for family, and how compassion can be present among strangers and, yes, even animals.
If you have already seen this film, we can all agree about the many reasons why it’s something you should not miss:
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!
It shows true love for family
Sarah Geronimo stars as Jasmine, a neuro-diverse woman living with and managing a coffee shop with her grandmother Olive (Gina Pareño) in Baguio. She was perfectly fine in life; with a routine that makes her function well on a daily basis, and with someone who has never left her side. However, things took to a turn for the worse when her lola was diagnosed with tuberculosis. To make both of them safe, the family had Jasmine move to Manila with her sister Dahlia. This is where you see how powering the bond of Jasmine with her lola is, going as far as traveling thousands of miles just to be with Lola Olive again. For many Filipinos who are close to their lolas, this kind of connection is all too relatable.
Dogs are truly our best friends
This movie shows the relationship of Jasmine with Happy (portrayed by famous wonder dog Milo), whom she adopted after he got injured trying to help her from thieves. She believed Happy can make her lola better, so they both went on a long journey that strengthened their bond—with the dog saving her life Jasmine trying with all her might to stay with him no matter what.
Unforgettable shows that true love can also be present even through your pet, and that that kind of love is in no way less essential than any other connections we have with others.
It sheds light on Autism
Sarah Geronimo showcases her best acting performance yet in this film, perfectly portraying Jasmine in a way that will make you understand people with special needs.
In fact, her acting is so powerful it was lauded by the Autism Society of the Philippines. The organization said she captured the condition without stereotypes and with all the sensitivity.
And they were right. Sarah flawlessly represented the character without tired exaggerations, turning Jasmine into this strong innocent girl stuck in a society of obstacles. This film is indeed a gift to the autism community.
There really is still hope in humanity
Jasmine’s lola taught her that kindness yields tenfold, and that if you show it, the world will return it in ways you’d never expect. It may have made some of you kind of cringe when Jasmine gave all her things to a taxi driver who was planning to rob her, or confused when she selfless helped a carinderia owner (portrayed by Regine Velasquez) manage her eatery, but that act of compassion was given back to her ten times on the course of her journey back to her lola.
When Jasmine fainted and lost Happy after boarding the wrong bus, two strangers—a mother (Yayo Aguila) and a daughter, Chuchay (Kim Molina)—immediately helped her find her dog. A dog shelter staff also helped her rescue Happy after finding out he was at risk of being put down.
Even when they got back to Baguio, kindness still followed Jasmine, with Chuchay and Nurse Gem helping her sneak Happy inside the hospital for Lola Olive to meet.
Unforgettable indeed makes a plea for a kinder world, depicting benevolence without conditions. It shows that humanity is still capable of innate kindness—another major reason it feels like a fresh air in a world that is drowned by the pollution of cruelty.
