Would you jump at the chance to travel back in time to correct past mistakes? The protagonist of director Miko Livelo’s Unli Life certainly would. The comedy follows the journey of Benedict (Vhong Navarro), a radio host known for his stellar love advice, as he struggles to figure out what caused his previous long-term relationship with Victoria (Winwyn Marquez) to unexpectedly end.
Benedict is whisked away to different historical eras after he downs more than the recommended amount of “wishkey,” a drink that allows him to travel through time. In each era, Benedict encounters different alter-egos of his ex-girlfriend and tries to win her back. “Lumipas man ang ilang panahon, ang pagmamahal ko sa ‘yo ay hindi magbabago (No matter how much the times change, my love for you will never falter),” he proclaims.
The film’s interesting premise is, however, overshadowed by its illogical plot. A great chunk of the first set of eras could have easily been taken out despite their entertainment value. In these early scenes, Benedict and Victoria hardly interact with each other before the former stumbles into a comedic accident and dies. The film is littered with nonsensical narratives like these that do nothing to move the story forward.
It also doesn’t help that Navarro and Marquez weren’t able to establish their chemistry throughout the film, leaving audiences wondering why Benedict would go through so much trouble to repair their relationship. This turned his supposedly romantic quest for love and redemption into a comedic and somewhat inaccurate take on Philippine history.
This is not to say the film did not have its moments. The 70s era, in particular, stood out in terms of length, depth, and production value. Here, Benedict finally realizes that his controlling personality ultimately doomed their relationship. He and Victoria have an emotional conversation in which Benedict swears to support Victoria in all her endeavors. The long overdue moments between the couple are also fleshed out through a quirky one-shot dance piece that involved moving theater sets, colorful props, and playful outfits.
Overall, Unli Life provides its audience a good show despite its underwhelming plot. Travelling back in time guided by Navarro’s talent for comedic delivery was messy at times, but undeniably fun. For all its shortcomings, the film clearly roots itself in one question: how far are you willing to go to right old wrongs?
Photo retrieved from the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Facebook page.
