Here’s a breakdown of the movie Hello, Love, Goodbye (2019), starring Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards. We’ve listed here some interesting things for a much more in-depth review about Cathy Garcia-Molina’s romance-comedy-drama film.

If you haven’t seen the movie or read our review on it yet, click here!!!

Movie breakdown

1.) Hong Kong – The country where the movie takes place. The audience is given scenes of fast-paced lifestyles of the people of Hong Kong. Not everything is glitz and glamour especially from the perspective of Filipino domestic helpers. Joy (Kathryn Bernardo) says “Hong Kong is a place where no one stays still” as we see her hustle her way around the mega city.

2.) Joy, is an OFW working as a domestic helper. Her job involves the most mundane household chores to the most rigorous tasks to ensure comfort and convenience to her employer’s family.

3.) An ordinary Sunday in Hong Kong’s Central – The movie captures the iconic place of leisure of Filipino domestic helpers. Central on Sundays becomes a place of gathering for the thousands of Filipino maids where some take the opportunity to partake in activities, such as Zumba dances, picnics, and sometimes even beauty pageants.

People are also seen placing down cardboard boxes on the pavements so they can sit on it. A sad depiction of real life struggles for the domestic helpers, but the resilience and cheerfulness with the ability to make good use of their limited time gives a warm and comedic vibe to the scene.

4.) “Once a DH, always a DH” – A remark of Joy’s friends to remind each other that it’s illegal for domestic helpers to try other jobs or side gigs other than what is stated in their contracts and identification cards.

Joy who is in need of additional income takes the offer of another friend to work part-time as a waitress. A risky decision that can get her deported if caught by authorities.

5.) Ethan Del Rosario – Played by Alden Richards. A cute playboy bartender pursuing Joy.

6.) Joy gets caught working illegally and is chased by the police.

7.) Saved by the kiss – Ethan catches up with Joy and she kisses him in a desperate attempt to hide her face from the cops who were chasing her.

8.) Early stages of courtship. Ethan persistently shows his interests to Joy by calling her, messaging, and adding her as a friend in social media. In a call, an irritated Joy says “Nagtatrabaho ako, huwag mo akong gulohin”. In which Ethan replies “Ikaw nga itong gumugulo sa isip ko nang dahil sa halik mo eh.”

9.) A little heart-to-heart convo…

10.) Joy breaks down because of the stresses she has to endure for her family as an OFW. She states how she feels suffocated by her responsibilities and how disappointed she currently is at her own life. Saying “Ang choice para lang sa may pera”, claiming she doesn’t have a choice but to push through life’s burdens.

She esteems herself as more valuable than what her current job tells about her. Taking pride on her education degree as a nurse, she shares to Ethan her plans to go to Canada soon for her dream job. – “Doon I can be more so I can give more”, telling that she’s trying to achieve this for her family.

More cheesy lines by Ethan when he notices how sad Joy is: “Bagay sayo ang pangalan mo ‘Joy’. Because you bring Joy to a person like me.”

11.) Closer and falling in love. Joy returns to the bar to work again but this time as a dish washer to keep her away from the sights of police.

12.) Joy and Ethan squeeze in the tight space of the bar’s stockroom as they were both trying to find something amid the busyness of the bar. They give each other a good stare as if they’re about to kiss, but Jim abruptly enters the room and jokingly says “Uy mukhang na-stuck kayo ah. Ok lang STUCKroom naman ito eh.”

13.) Perseverance wins. Ethan’s persistence in helping and supporting Joy has won her heart. Their relationship becomes more profound before the eyes of their friends.

14.) Ethan’s tattoo on his left arm shows the name of her past serious relationship “Tanya”, which at first Joy reads as “Tanga”.

15.) Although Ethan and Joy agreed to a short term relationship since Joy is leaving for Canada, Ethan plans to have Joy stay with him in Hong Kong. He want’s to have a committed relationship with her that would one day lead to marriage as he awaits his permanent residency status in Hong Kong. He plans to put up a bar of his own that’s meant to support both of them.

16.) Moment of truth. Ethan offers Joy to stay with him in Hong Kong but Joy declines. In an emotional argument, Joy makes it clear that she wishes to go to Canada to fulfill her potentials or else she would suffer the consequence of asking herself “what if?” all through out her life. She wants to do this for herself seeing that she needs to love herself first. She then feels that she is being given too much of a choice and asks Ethan “Kung mahal mo ako bakit pinapapili mo ako?” on which Ethan replies “Kung mahal mo ako, bakit hindi ako ang piliin mo, Joy?”.

17.) Soon Ethan accepts the fate of their relationship and decides to take full advantage of whatever time Joy has left in Hong Kong. He proposes to Joy not for marriage but to have her remaining time spent with him. They go on a scenic adventure around Hong Kong.

18.) “The time stops when you don’t use it” – a remainder to them by a watch salesman. It also advises us to use our remaining time wisely by enjoying it with the people we love for as long as it lasts.

If you haven’t seen the movie or read our review on it yet, click here!!!