The film is surprisingly a defiant fuck you to the Philippines’ archaic marriage laws.
WARNING: Contains spoilers.
Joy (Jolina
Magdangal), a single mother, is looking forward to a peaceful Valentine's
dinner with her daughter, SC (Loisa Andalio). But their quiet evening takes an
unexpected turn when SC’s boyfriend, Joey (Juan Karlos Labajo), crashes their
meal with a surprise proposal. When SC says yes, Joy is faced with a new
challenge — fulfilling her daughter’s wish for her father, Ced (Marvin
Agustin), to walk her down the aisle. The only problem? Ced is in Malta, and
Joy must reunite with the ex-husband she thought she had left behind for good.
For the “Batang ‘90s”
To fully
appreciate the silliness of Ex Ex Lovers, one must understand that the
entire film is a love letter to fans of the iconic “MarJo” love team — one of
the most bankable multimedia pairings in 1990s Philippine entertainment.
Directed by JP Habac and written by Antoinette Jadaone and Kristine Gabriel,
the film intentionally leans into the signature quirkiness of its leads’
comedic style, a brand of humor that may require a suspension of disbelief for
those who didn’t grow up with the playful absurdity of ‘90s comedy.
This
nostalgia-driven approach extends beyond just Magdangal and Agustin; it also
caters to fans of Gimik, the iconic weekend drama series that aired on
ABS-CBN from 1996 to 1999. The film makes a deliberate callback to this era,
assembling supporting characters played by Judy Ann Santos, Mylene Dizon,
Dominic Ochoa, and G. Toengi, all of whom were part of Gimik’s original
cast. Their appearances aren’t just casual cameos — the film ensures that their
introductions are grand and dramatic, designed to elicit cheers from longtime
fans. For those unfamiliar with this history, understanding these cameos is
crucial to making sense of why Santos and Dizon, who play Joy’s best friends, only
appear at the beginning and end of the film rather than accompanying her
throughout her struggles.
There are a lot of
blink-and-you-miss-it “MarJo” references in the movie. Heck, even the character
names — Joy and Ced — are an obvious nod to Magdangal and Agustin’s roles in Labs
Kita… Okey Ka Lang?, where they played Bujoy and Ned. But the film doesn’t
stop there. It sneaks in callbacks through dialogue, visual cues, and even the
actors’ mannerisms. One particularly cheeky moment sees Joy and Ced bickering
in a way that mirrors their classic “tampuhan” scenes from their ‘90s films,
complete with exaggerated reactions and that signature mix of comedy and “kilig.”
Even the
soundtrack plays a part in this nostalgia trip. Fans will notice that certain
scenes are underscored by music reminiscent of “MarJo’s” past projects, subtly
reinforcing the film’s tribute to their love team legacy. It’s clear that Ex
Ex Lovers isn’t just using Magdangal and Agustin as leads; it’s fully
embracing their cinematic history, making every frame feel like a warm,
familiar hug for longtime fans.
Older fans, modern problems
Most “MarJo” fans,
like myself, are probably in their mid-30s or early 40s now, facing a
completely different set of problems compared to almost 30 years ago. Many will
walk into the cinema hoping to relive that signature, effortless chemistry
between Magdangal and Agustin (and they won’t be disappointed, as the film
delivers it in full), escape their modern-day struggles for a couple of hours, and
bask in the same magic that once made “MarJo” one of the most beloved love
teams of the ‘90s.
And that’s where Ex
Ex Lovers finds its unexpected edge. While it delivers on nostalgia, the
film also attempts to weave in social commentary — sometimes effectively, other
times awkwardly, as if sprinkled in rather than fully integrated into the
narrative. It critiques the complacency of those who have settled comfortably
into the status quo, unwilling to challenge the systems that don’t directly
affect them, as well as the outdated institution of marriage itself. Beneath
its humor and sentimentality, the film is surprisingly a defiant middle finger
to the Philippines’ archaic marriage laws.
But perhaps the
most refreshing part of the film is how it ensures that its single-mother
protagonist remains in control until the very end. It never bends to the
outdated, toxic Filipino notion of “magkabalikan para sa anak” — the
idea that exes should reunite for the sake of their child. Instead, Ex Ex
Lovers firmly establishes that motherhood, love, and self-worth do not have
to be defined by a past relationship. It allows Joy to be more than just
someone’s ex-wife or someone’s mother; she is her own person, making choices
that serve her, not just the expectations of those around her.
At its core, Ex
Ex Lovers is a film that knows exactly who it’s for. It feeds off
nostalgia, indulges in romance, and delivers the kind of humor that only Batang
‘90s will truly appreciate. But beneath the kilig and comedic absurdity, it
quietly rebels against the very traditions that shaped its audience. It asks: What
if love doesn’t have to mean going back? What if the happy ending isn’t about
rekindling the past, but about moving forward?
For a film that thrives on revisiting history, Ex Ex Lovers makes one thing clear: it refuses to be trapped by it. — WALPHS.com