There is an eternal sense of familiarity in Dado Lumibao-helmed ’40’. You get the feel of knowing what will happen next, and yet, despite the predicatability, you follow the story, and brace yourself for the heartbreaking tragedy it is set to unfold.
’40’ a story of melancholic love, follows social media influencer, Megan (Miranda), whose contents feature her helping the needy, by giving them cash. But all is for clout, for Megan; she’s a scammer who uses poor people to fool her audience, she is doing something good. When one video, showing her taking back the money she has supposedly given away as help, after filming her ‘charitable act’, netizens hop on the hate bandwagon, and made her the target of online bashing. It took a toll on her, and pushed her to commit suicide. Thanks to Archie (Estrada), who was conveniently at the place, to save her.
From getting perpetually annoyed by Archie, who seems to be always around to save her, whenever something nasty comes to her mind, Megan inevitably finds the dashing stranger someone she can truly depend on. The feeling further blossoms and they fall in love. But fate isn’t on their side. It was later on revealed who truly needed saving, and this reveal could not have been pulled off with a more spectacular ease.
The premise of the film largely operates in the saying ‘you never truly love someone, until you learn to forgive’, which is actually a line in Ben and Ben’s iconic song, Leaves, and true enough, in the film, resolution comes once this lesson is fully understood by the lead characters. OPM legend, Martin Nievera, rendered his voice for a version of the song, and it was magical on all moments the song was used.
40 is now showing in cinemas nationwide. Watch the official full trailer, below.
