The Hopeful Romantic - Introducing PepeRitz With Hilarious Comedy

It may be time for a new line of stars to be introduced to new films as we might have grown used to the usual love teams and themes. They recently made a strong statement with the the launch of a new team up of Pepe Herrera and Ritz Azul. With both gained fans and followers on FPJ's Ang Probnsiyano, people were wanting to see them beyond the series, and this is a perfect opportunity for the both of them.

Though even before Probinsyano, Pepe Herrera was already known for his role in Rak of Aegis as Tolits for his comedy and singing skills. Ritz has been through many series with TV5, GMA, and currently with ABS-CBN where she is known to do sexy comedy. With comedy being the common denominator, this looks like a great pairing for a romantic comedy which brought them to this film by Topel Lee, The Hopeful Romantic.

The Hopeful Romantic is a story of valet attendant Jess (Herrera) who still awaits his "true love"  where he could give his all to her. Then came Veronica (Azul) who loves to be around rich guys in order to get what she wants. With an unexpected reward, he was able to live the life of luxury for a few days and encounters Veronica along the way, but Jess went to pretend to be a big shot just to convince her to fall for him. The fun comes with expensive shopping spree, lengths to show wealth, and the complicated reasons which involves friends and family.
Expect a lot of sexy scenes here not just with Pepe and Ritz, but some characters also got some heat  which also comes in a very funny way. Though there is a lot of questions you might have in some scenes, you will find yourself laughing with a mix of classic and millennial comedy.

The Hopeful Romantic stars Pepe Herrera, Ritz Azul, Beverly Salviejo, Bodjie Pascua, Mich Ligayu, Nikko Natividad, Alora Sasam, and Paeng Sudayan. Now showing in theaters and directed by Topel Lee.

Deliberation time kids! 

Show summary: True Love Strikes Suddenly

Quotable quote: "Kapag nahanap ko na siya, tsaka ko ibibigay yung sarili ko." - Jess 

Technical Effects: 2 out of 5 stars (Some effects were better of not to be part since it can be justified by the characters)

Plot: 3 out of 5 stars (The plot is no surprise, but the character revelations are)

Acting and Actors: 3 out of 5 stars (The combination of Pepe and Ritz does have potential, yet I found favorites with the characters of Beverly and Nikko) 

Pros:  Characters, The Manila Hotel, comedy combinations, Ritz Azul's charm
Cons:  some irritating dialogue, plot holes, awkward interactions

Music and Soundtracks:  4 out for 5 stars (We do see here Pepe sing and its was indeed romantic) 

Overall: Rating 3.6 out of 5 stars (Packed with colorful and funny characters, the movie was enjoyable especially for those hopeless romantics and might need to have some laughs to get started on love again.)