Viva Films’ Just A Stranger is a curious look at May-December affair. This movie follows Mae (Anne Curtis), an attractive and independent woman. While she vacations in Lisbon, Portugal with her friends, Mae meets Jericho (Marco Gumabao), the alluring and flirtatious 19-year old son of the Philippine ambassador in that country. Mae and Jericho have a tryst that is supposed to be a one-time thing.
That one-time thing turns into many-times thing when Jericho, or Jekjek as he is fondly (or derogatorily) called by his father (Robert Seña), resides in San Fernando, Pampanga and they bump into each other in the railway museum.
Their affair that starts out as an undeniable gravitation pull between two beautiful persons turns into something profound. They start to spend time together and share their intimate thoughts, secrets, and dreams with each other. They become comfortable with each other so much so that Jericho farts in front of Mae.
It is glitters all around if not for two obstacles in Mae and Jericho’s paths: their partners. Mae is married to a wealthy and powerful Phil (Edu Manzano) and Jericho is in a relationship with Febbie. Because of their respective relationships, they cannot go public with theirs.
The secrecy ultimately makes Mae’s hackles rise and she erupts like a Mount Pinatubo. Instead of spewing out lava, she spits out harsh words. Jericho accepts Mae’s accusations forces Jericho to decide which path to take. However, something unforeseen happens. And it changes the lives of Mae and Jericho forever. I will not say what it is for fear of spoiling the film.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Just A Stranger is Anne Curtis’ film. She is Mae Pimentel through and through. The ease with which Anne portrays Mae – from the classy yet fun tourist in Lisbon to the sometimes dutiful wife in the Philippines and the free-spirited persona with Jericho – Anne is flawless. She gives her all in every scene. In that breakdown scene in the balcony, even Anne’s toes act! They curl in pain. In the kitchen scene that follows that, even her bodily fluids cooperate. Anne is a joy to watch in this film – every second she is onscreen. And she remains the Dyosa of Philippine movies. Case in point: Anne in swimsuit and in that gorgeous black ensemble in the confessional.
Before Just A Stranger, I have never watched any work of Marco Gumabao. This is a wonderful introduction to his world. The trailer focuses on his and Anne’s steamy scenes together, and his abs and behind are also much talked about. However, Marco is more than the sum of his body parts. He is aptly chosen to play Jericho. He is playful and charming. He is sexy, but not overtly so. He retains a certain degree of boyish charm that makes him vulnerable and believable as a 19-year old.
Just A Stranger shows the explosive physical chemistry between Mae and Jericho. Yet, they are more than just two stunning people making love. They are the neglected trophy wife and the smothered with too much attention child, respectively. Yes, they do fuck like horny rabbits, but they have emotions, too. And those emotions are the ones that resonate more to the audience.
I just want to add that the jokes about Mae’s and Jericho’s ages are tastefully done. And Josel Elizalde’s priest role is the best supporting character in the movie.
Just A Stranger is directed by Jason Paul Laxamana.
The following are hugot lines from Viva Films’ Just A Stranger starring Anne Curtis as Mae Pimentel and Marco Gumabao as Jericho or Jekjek:
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” – Mae Pimentel (Anne Curtis)
“I’ve been cheating on my husband with a man half my age.” – Mae
“Hoy, totoy! Relax! Relax ka lang.” – Mae
Jericho: Sige, enjoy na lang kayo, Ate.
Mae: Ate talaga?
“Looking for something?” – Mae
“Wala ka bang gagawing masama sa akin?” – Mae
Mae: Akala ko kasi type mo ako.
Jericho: Eh, parang tita na kita eh.
Mae: Fuck you.
“Proof that there’s salvation even for the sinful.” - Jericho “Jekjek” (Marco Gumabao)
“Ano pagod ka na? Ano ka, senior citizen?” – Jericho “Jekjek”
“Excuse me, 19 na ako. And I will be 20 in seven months.” – Jericho “Jekjek”
Mae: Magkano?
Jericho: I am not a red boy.
Mae: Ang ibabayad mo sa akin?
Jericho: Oh, my God. Are you…?
Mae: No. It is a joke. Ang slow mo.
“We’re gonna pay for this.” – Mae
Jericho: Ang sexy mo.
Mae: Alam ko.
Jericho: Eh, ako?
Mae: Puwede na.
“I just had sex with a stranger in a foreign land.” – Mae
Mae: ‘Di lang naman ikaw ang in a relationship.
Jericho: So, we’re both cheaters?
“Relax. I mean this is just a one-time thing ‘di ba?” – Mae
Mae: Look, we’re going to forget each other after a few days and we’ll be strangers again in no time.
Jericho: Forget each other? Ano ka ulyanin?
“Minsan may mga bagay na masyadong maganda na minsan mo lang maranasan.” – Jericho
“That’s the first time I ever cheated on my husband, Father.” – Mae
“Come on, Mae. I saw and touched every inch of your body that night.” – Jericho
“Things like that happen, especially between two attractive persons.” – Mae
“Kung anuman ang iniisip o pinapantasya mo, tama na. It won’t happen. What happened in Lisbon was a one-time thing.” – Mae
“I’m actually more interested in earning money than harboring men.” – Hilda Sarsuelo (Cherie Gil)
“He started yearning beyond the physical.” – Mae
“So the tiger decided to go to the beach to hunt for a fuck.” – Mae
“Wala. Walang iba. Siya lang.” – Mae
“Mae, pumunta ako rito para sa iyo, not for anything else.” – Jericho
“Mukha ba akong hot dito?” – Jericho
“Either sobrang saya ka or sobrang sad ka. Which is it?” – Mae’s friend
“Bakit naman kami mag-aaway? Ni hindi nga kami nagkikita.” – Mae
“Sino si Jekjek? Paulit-ulit mo siyang tinatawag habang natutulog.” – Phil Pimentel (Edu Manzano)
“Do you feel that you’re in a trapped marriage?” – Phil
“What are we doing? Why are we even still together? We obviously don’t love each other? Bakit tayo nagtitiis?” – Mae
Mae: I am seeing a younger guy.
Phil: Mas bata sa akin?
Mae: Mas bata sa ating dalawa.
“Listen, Mae. We all know you married me for money. And I married you for reasons other than love.” – Phil
“If you want to see him, I want you to surrender everything that technically belongs to me.” – Phil
“Kasi mahal ko siya.” – Mae
“Alam ninyo namang mali. Ginawa niyo pa. Ayan tuloy.” – Father (Josef Elizalde)
“Alam kong mali, Father, pero kailangan ko bang pagsisihan na mahalin ko siya?” – Mae
Jericho: Miss mo ko no?
Mae: Sakto lang.
“You know I’ve never had the courage to ask you. What were you before you married Phil?” – Jericho
“Ulol. Ca-callboy na lang ako kesa pumasok sa pulitika.” – Jericho
“Kailan kaya darating ang araw na tayo ay magiging masaya na hindi patago?” – Mae
Mae: Ikaw ba gusto mo akong makasama?
Jericho: Oo.
Mae: Palagi?
Jericho: Oo.
“Fuck you! Fuck you, you pathetic piece of shit!” – Mae
“I don’t want to be kept in the shadow like a vice.” – Mae
“Ayoko nang ganito, eh! Alam mo ‘yon, gusto ko makapag-mall tayo together, kumain sa restaurant, maghalikan, maglaplapan nang wala tayong pakialam kung sino man ang makakita sa atin.” – Mae
“Sabihin mo lang kung ayaw mo na, Mae. At aalis ako. Hindi kita pipilitin” - Jericho
“Mae, lahat ng sinabi mo kanina masakit. Masakit pero totoo. And I am sorry if I made you feel insignificant, but I will do my best (to be better?).” – Jericho
“One week? One month? One year?” – Mae
“My God. Shit, sorry.” – Father
“Paano ako magpapakilala sa mga taong nag-aalaga sa kanya?” – Mae
“It’s torture, Father.” – Mae
“Shit happens, Mae. Sometimes randomly.” – Phil
“I’m sorry po, Father. Pumunta lang talaga ako rito dahil wala akong masabihan. Pero sana po walang makakaalam.” – Mae
“First of all, stop calling him Jekjek. He fucking hated that name.” – Mae
Febbie: Miss, who are you?
Mae: No one. Just a stranger.