“A black swan is an event that is impossible to predict, but has major consequences for us all.”

Despite the declarations of ‘I love yous” in the trailer in the movie itself, Viva Films and N² Productions’ Sid & Aya (Not a Love Story) is definitely not a love story. At least not in the traditional sense.

Sid & Aya (Not a Love Story) writer and director Irene Emma Villamor made the characters imperfect, especially Dindong Dantes’ Sid who is the opposite of what a romantic male character should be. To say that Sid is flawed would be kind because Sid is an asshole. He is an asshole workmate and an asshole boyfriend. Maybe that is the reason why he has no friends and has to pay Anne Curtis’ Aya to have someone to talk to as he copes with insomnia. At a starting rate of P1,000.00 per hour, Sid must really be desperate.

Aya is the lesser of the two evils. She is someone who does three part-time jobs, at the café, at the Laundromat, and a theme park. If talking to Sid is considered as a job, Aya has four jobs so she can support her seemingly helpless family. She has a father who is sickly, a mother who works abroad but seems to send only Kit Kat Matcha and ramen to her family (although she can afford Louis Vuittons), and a sister who gets knocked up. Helping the family always elevates the character in the eyes of the audience. Given Aya’s heroism, I just wish to know when Aya sleeps, if she does, and how she survives juggling several jobs given the horrendous traffic situation in Metro Manila.

If two attractive people spend enough time together by their lonesome, one (or both of them) is bound to become attached to the other. Since this is not a love story, one (or both of them) will act in an asshole-y kind of way and shit will eventually hit the fan. There will be a separation period, and for some unknown reason, the two attractive people are destined to see each other again (cases in point, Barcelona: A Love Untold and the more recent Kasal). It is the prerogative of the write if these attractive people will end up with each other right away, take it slow, or have closure (one being married to an off-screen character). I will not state which one happens to Sid and Aya because I do not want to spoil the movie.

Dingdong Dantes as Sid is what Derek Ramsay was a few years ago – the good looking leading man who can deliver a string of English sentences and throw around business jargon without batting an eyelash. The chiseled jawlines aside, both have limited facial expressions. Dingdong’s eyes are especially distracting. Even when he wants to convey his attraction to Aya, his eyes say, “I will hunt you down and kill you”. If he can just one more facial expression to his repertoire, Derek will have a hard time supplanting him as Star Cinema’s go-to leading man.

Anne Curtis as Aya is almost perfect. She is iridescent, empowered, authentic, and playful. The only thing that messes up with her perfection is the way Anne plays mouths words in the first half of the movie, but she gets better in the Japan scenes.

Having mentioned the little things that I found distracting (I am nitpicking), I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sid & Aya (Not a Love Story). The script is superb. The story is current. And Anne Curtis, even in jeans and shirts, remains the undisputed goddess of love and beauty.

 

For hugot lines from other movies, please read First Love – Hugot Edition, Exes Baggage – Hugot Edition, The Hows of Us – Hugot Edition, Miss Granny – Hugot Edition, I Love You, Hater – Hugot Edition, Kasal – Hugot Edition, Never Not Love You – Hugot Edition, My Perfect You – Hugot Edition, Meet Me in St. Gallen – Hugot Edition, Mr. & Mrs. Cruz – Hugot Edition, Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes – Hugot Edition, Love You to the Stars and Back – Hugot Edition, That Thing Called Tadhana – Hugot Edition, Unexpectedly Yours – Hugot Edition, Last Night – Hugot Edition, Finally Found Someone – Hugot Edition, Seven Sundays – Hugot Edition, Can We Still Be Friends? – Hugot Edition, Kita Kita – Hugot Edition, Can’t Help Falling In Love – Hugot Edition, My Ex and Whys – Hugot Edition, and Heneral Luna – Hugot Edition.

Here are some of the Hugot Lines from Viva Films’ and N2 Productions’ Sid & Aya (Not a Love Story):

“’Sino ka bang gago ka?’ Tanong ko ‘yun sa sarili ko. Gabi-gabing hindi ako makatulog. Sanay na ako. Causes of insomnia: Regret. Self-blame. Overthinking. Anger. Depression. Loneliness. And her. Yes. Her. Si Aya. Gago rin siya.” – Luis Isidro “Sid” Teodoro (Dingdong Dantes)

“No, this is not a love story. Hindi naman lahat ng may ‘I love you’ love story na eh.” - Sid

“Oo, napakaraming kupal sa mundo.” – Sid

“Bits and pieces of her, the memory you want to forget.” – Sid

“Pangit ang bride. Pangit din ang groom. Pera lang ang maganda sa kanila.” – Jerry (Cholo Barretto)

“In this business, you are what you ride, who you ride, who you fucking ride.” – Sid

“Sino ba ang hindi malungkot? Sino ba ang hindi galit sa mundo? Lahat naman ‘di ba? Lahat may kanya-kanyang sira sa utak. Depende na lang kung papaano mo itatago.” – Sid

“Gago, ang laki na nyan para magka-bulate.” – Aya (Anne Curtis)

“Hindi mo naman halikan ang puwet ko boss, eh.” – Sid

“I like kissing shiny asses.” – Darren (Gabby Eigenmann)

 

Dani (Bubbles Paraiso): Fuck you.

Sid: Later.

 

“I love you.” – Aya

“Si Aya. Hindi ako interesadong makilala ang mga taong hindi ko kailangan. Bago ang gabing ‘yon ‘di ko pa naman siya kailangan.” – Sid

“Hoy, pangalan lang tinatanong ko, hindi ‘what is life?’” – Aya

“Wala bang ‘I love you’ diyan?” – Aya

“Alam mo lahat naman ng masarap, bawal.” – Aya

 

Sid: How much would I pay you to spend the whole night?

Aya: Ano? Hindi ako pokpok.

Sid: Hindi kasi ako makatulog eh. Kailangan ko lang ng makausap. Ayaw mo ‘yun. Extra income.

Aya: Grabe, Sobrang lungkot mo naman kung kailangan mong magbayad ng kausap.

 

Sid: You know you should stop smoking.

Aya: The things that we love will eventually kills us.

 

“Gago! Manyakis!” – Aya

“’Yung mga insomniacs daw kaya hindi daw sila nakakatulog kasi masyadong marami silang iniisip.” – Aya

“Hindi mo kailangan ikulong ang isang puso.” – Aya

“Alam mo parehas lang tayo. Mas magaling ka lang sigurong mang-gago.” – Aya

“May pipick-up-in ka ba? Hindi lang ako.” – Aya

 

Sid: Sige, mauuna na ako.

Aya: Huwag! May nagmamahal sa ‘yo, Sir.

Sid: Huh?

Aya: Huwag kang mauunang mamatay.

 

“The strong will always prey on the weak.” – Darren

 

“Syota na ba kita? … Asan ba girlfriend mo?” – Aya

“Bakit ‘di mo na lang kasi amining babaerong numero uno ka.” – Aya

“Wala ka talagang friends no? Sige, friends na tayo. Pero magtataas ako ng rate ko ha. P1,500 per hour na at ‘pag lumagpas ng three hours, may dagdag pa. Wala pa ring sex.” – Aya

“Mahirap maging mahirap. Period.” – Aya

“Kaya hindi kami nauubusan ng Kit Kat green at noodles.” – Aya

“Siya naman kasi ang kailangan naming, hindi ang padala niya.” – Aya

“Ang layo ng pagsasabi ng totoo sa pagiging judgmental.” – Aya

 

Sid: Bakit ka nandito?

Aya: Pera.

Sid: Bakit nga?

Aya: Pera.

 

“’Tang ina, talent na nga lang ang meron ako, eh.” – Aya

“The truth is, I wanted her that night. Pero ayokong maging gago sa kanya. Ayoko sana.” – Sid

“Wala kaya ko ‘to. Siyempre pagod lang kaya ang bilis umiyak.” – Aya

“That’s my girl.” – Sid

“Shit!” – Aya

“I love you.” – Aya

 

Sid: I’m sorry.

Aya: Ano k aba. Huwag kang mag-sorry. Alam ko ang ginagawa ko. Ginusto ko ‘to.

Sid: Magkaibigan pa nama tayo, no?

Aya: Oo naman. Tumatakbo ang metro mo. Nakaisang oras ka na.

Sid: I’m thinking maybe I should propose to her already. Doon naman punta noon ‘di ba?

Aya: Good luck ha. Buti naman tataya ka na sa love.

Sid: Love? Love? Tingin mo?

Aya: Kung hindi love, malaking sugal ‘yan.

 

“If I ask you to stay for one more night, magkano?” – Sid

“Ito ang parusa ni Aya sa akin. Mas maraming tanong. Mas maraming gabing hindi pagtulog.” – Sid

“My black swan turned out to be this girl na binago ang lahat. Marami akong hindi sinabi sa kanya. I wish she was still with me, so I could tell her I love her. Gago lang talaga ako. Sinaktan ko siya.” – Sid

“Ako ‘to. Tandaan mo may atraso ka pa. Huwag mo akong indiyanin.” – Sid

“Aya, sorry ha. Alam kong nasaktan kita.” – Sid

“My father taught me how to read faces. Sa kanya ko natutunan paano sumugal. Sa mukha mo malalaman ang barahang hawak ng tao.” – Sid

“Feeling mo ba hawak ko ang alas?” – Aya

“Nakakapagod. Napapagod na akong magmahal ng mga taong kailangan kong mahalin.” – Aya

“Alam mo, my father died a poor man, pero ang mas malala doon namatay siyang malungkot. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, hinding hindi ako magiging katulad niya.” – Sid

“I love you.” – Sid

“Ano ‘to. Magtatanan tayo.” – Aya

 

Sid: Tumaya ka naman sa akin, Aya.

Aya: Kung tumaya ako sa ‘yo, ikaw naman ang masasaktan. Joke. Sige na alis na ako.

 

“Ilang beses ba dapat sumugal para makatagpo ng isang Aya? I did not deserve her, but I had her.” – Sid