A Journey 2024 Movie Review
The story begins with Shane ( Kaye Abad ), who after turning 39 finds out that his cancer has returned. Unwilling to go through the physical and mental exhaustion of cancer treatment again, Shane accepts his fate and decides it’s the perfect time to start accomplishing the list of things he’s always wanted to do. For their part, Bryan ( Paolo Contis ), her husband, and Tupe ( Patrick Garcia ), their best friend, are determined to help her fulfill each point on the list to make her happy, but above all to convince her to undergo chemotherapy with the hope of prolonging his life. This trip will teach all three of you the importance of valuing time with your loved ones.
“Life won’t catch up with you if you wait to fulfill your dreams,” Shane advises his two best friends. This phrase very well represents this film that addresses a complicated and common topic such as terminal cancer and the ephemerality of our existence. The journey is interesting and tender because it does not put the suffering as the center of its plot, instead it focuses on a nostalgic journey that allows us to appreciate the bond between three friends who try to find meaning in their lives while accepting the idea that everything is about to change.
One of the most intimate moments of the film is when Shane, Bryan and Tupe visit the school where they studied to say goodbye to what they experienced there. In this sequence, the protagonists reflect on the passing of the years while they transport us to the days where they were children and adolescents. Just watch this sequence to notice the chemistry between the three protagonists that makes each scene transmit the nostalgia of saying goodbye to moments that will never be repeated again.
It’s no surprise that the interactions between Abad, Contis and Garcia feel so authentic as these three performers have been friends for over twenty years. They met during the filming of Tabing Ilog , a famous youth drama that aired on Philippine television from 1999 to 2003, where they also play best friends. This is explained by the naturalness of their scenes together: the actors did not have to pretend to be friends who have known each other all their lives.
Although Contis and Garcia play their roles well, with a charm that makes you laugh with them even when they tell bad jokes, it is undeniable that, of the three protagonists, the one who stands out the most is Kaye Abad due to her great charisma and her ability to capture to a memorable and likable character through equal doses of sadness and hopelessness.
The problem is that in its last thirty minutes The Journey destroys the calm and fun rhythm of the first two parts, as it delivers an unexpected blow with, spoiler , the death of Bryan, Shane’s husband. This twist is unnecessary, the death of that character seems like an element merely used to intensify the drama, it does not contribute to the plot or make a significant difference.
Despite the above, The Journey is a nostalgic and moving story about friendship and farewells that invites you to reflect on the decisions you have made to this day. The film has incredible strength in its protagonists and does not know how to take advantage of it, instead it has illogical, accelerated and incoherent subplots that give the impression that its main objective is to make you cry.
