Vince and Kath and James

Vince and Kath and James (stylized as Vince & Kath & James) is a 2016 Filipino teen romantic film directed by Theodore Boborol, starring Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia and Ronnie Alonte. It is based on the online series Vince and Kath written by Jenny Ruth Almocera, that told the story of two lovestruck teens, Vince and Kath, through text messages.[2]

Vince & Kath & James
Theatrical Poster
Directed byTheodore Boborol
Produced by
Vic Del Rosario Jr.
Screenplay by
  • Daisy Cayanan
  • Kim Noromor
  • Anjanette Haw[1]
Based onVince and Kath
by Jenny Ruth Almocera
Starring
Music byJessie Lasaten
CinematographyGary Gardoce
Edited byBeng Bandong
Production
company
Distributed by
Release date
  • December 25, 2016 (2016-12-25)
Running time
116 minutes
CountryPhilippines
Language
  • Filipino
  • English
Box office₱123 million

The film was graded "A" by the Cinema Evaluation Board of the Philippines.[3] It is an official entry to the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival, where it won the Children's Choice Award along fellow entries Saving Sally and Sunday Beauty Queen, and the Male Celebrity of the Night award for Ronnie Alonte.[4]

Plot

Kath (Julia Barretto) wins Miss Engineering 2016, making her more popular and receiving many congratulatory messages many people. Among them are Vince (Joshua Garcia), who has a crush on her for a long time but hides it and chooses to tease Kath every time they see each other, and James (Ronnie Alonte), the top varsity player of the school, who finds Kath beautiful after seeing her in the pageant.

Vince and James are cousins but they are the total opposites. They both live in James' house as Vince's mother (Ina Raymundo) is away with her new family and it is James' parents who pays for his tuition fee and other needs. Vince is a top student who always get good grades while varsity player James focuses on his basketball career that he forgets about his studies. As a result, his grades are low and his parents always scold him. Vince is always at hand to steer away James' parents' attention so they would stop scolding him, to which James is thankful to Vince and they develop to be best friends. Whenever James needs help in his academics, Vince is always there to lend a hand.

Yet Vince did not expect that this time, James is asking help not in his school requirements but in texting and getting to be friends with the girl they both admire, Kath. James initially didn't receive any reply from Kath after messaging her which he didn't know was due to Kath not having an internet connection. James also found out that Vince helped another schoolmate Clinton to have a girlfriend so he thinks that Vince would really be a great help to make Kath notice him. Vince agrees reluctantly to James' request.

When Vince first texted Kath anonymously, Kath was busy taking care of her brother who just got circumcised. This leads to Kath unintentionally sending her question on what to do with her brother to Vince. Vince and James find the mistake a great opportunity to get Kath's attention. They reply an effective solution which Kath immediately does. Relieved, she finds out about the mistake and sends apology. However, she also texts words of gratitude for willingly helping her with her brother.

This leads to the start of the text conversations of Kath and Vince. Yet Vince didn't reveal to her that it was him nor James texting her. He came up with the nickname "Var", short for varsity player, when Kath asked for his name. Kath is left with the only hint that her new textmate is a varsity player but goes on communicating with him.

Meanwhile, as Kath still has no idea about the real identity of her textmate Var, she joins an on-the-job training at a factory for her course. Vince and Kath's best friend Maxine (Maris Racal) is also there. Vince continues to tease and irritate Kath especially that the girls' job are not in the working area like the boys' but are just office works which, according to Vince is not even engineering-related. Plus, Vince sees Kath's reaction when he sends him sweet text messages through Var, much to his laughter and at the same time, giddiness.

Kath just can't end texting with Var even if she doesn't really know him yet, thanks to Vince's effective pick-up lines and sweet words. Var tells her that he would be calling her "Cheer", short for cheerleader for according to him, Kath cheers him up. While reading their exchange of text messages, James admits that he also felt in love and tells Vince to continue the "Var" gimmick until such time that Kath asks him to meet her personally. That's the only time when James comes into the scene as he would be the one to meet her face to face. Vince is again sad but he had no choice other than to nod to James' plan.

Later on, Vince finds himself enjoying having Kath as his textmate even if he knows that Kath would not end up with him due to James. He shares his sentiments anonymously in his famous blog Da Vinci Quotes through six-letter sentences and phrases. Time came when James finally told him to ask Kath to meet up with him already. Kath, on the other hand, had doubts agreeing to the meet-up at first, but after Maxine's convincing and sending "Yes" herself, she finally approves. Receiving the confirmation, James is happy while Vince gets sad. The time is up for Kath and him as Var.

Cast
Julia Barretto portrays Kathleen "Kath" Gonzales
Ronnie Alonte portrays Jaime "James" Raymundo III

Production

The film's principal photography began in late July 2016.[5]

Music

In the background of the official movie trailer released on November 23, 2016 through Metro Manila Film Festival's official Facebook page[6][7] was "O Pag-ibig" by Ylona Garcia and Bailey May. The song was a finalist in the 2016 edition of Himig Handog P-Pop Love Songs. A contest was held for aspiring Filipino singers and composers to submit their original composition for a chance to be a part of the movie's official soundtrack.[8] The winning song was "Hey Crush" by Volts Vallejo.[9]

Soundtrack
Vince & Kath & James (Movie Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedDecember 16, 2016
Length28:45
LabelStar Music
Vince & Kath & James (Movie Soundtrack)[10]
No.TitlePerformer(s)Length
1."Hey Crush"Joshua Garcia2:17
2."O Pag-ibig"Ylona Garcia, Bailey May3:37
3."Walang Basagan ng Trip"Jugs Jugueta, Teddy Corpuz3:03
4."Simpleng Tulad Mo"Daniel Padilla3:45
5."Dapit-Hapon"Ebe Dancel4:55
6."Love at Website"Ronnie Alonte3:20
7."Dahan Dahan Dahan Lang"Ylona Garcia3:43
8."If We Fall in Love"Yeng Constantino4:07
Total length:28:45

Release

Vince & Kath & James was released on December 25, 2016, as an official entry to the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. The film, among most entries of the festival, was graded "A" by the Cinema Evaluation Board of the Philippines which allows them to enjoy an additional 15 tax rebate.[3] It grossed ₱17 million on its opening day topping the first day gross among other competing entries.[11] On January 3, 2017, Star Cinema claimed that the film grossed ₱105 million ,[12] but this figure has since increased to ₱123 million worldwide as of January 24, 2017.[13]

Reception

The film has received generally positive reviews. Melvin Sarangay of Inquirer Bandera writes that although its prospective audiences are teenagers, the film "surpasses as a family movie because of its discussion of some real life issues in a family."[14] Abby Mendoza of FHM Philippines writes, "[W]hile you’ve plausibly seen all these before: an incredibly convoluted plot imbued with all-too familiar characters, Vince and Kath and James pulls off rom-com tropes with flair. [...] It’s cute without being annoying."[15]

Oggs Cruz of Rappler was less taken with the film, largely because of the story's predictability. Cruz notes that its theme bears resemblance to the 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac by French poet Edmond Rostand, and the 2002 film Got 2 Believe starring Rico Yan and Claudine Barretto. Furthermore, he writes: "Vince & Kath & James is an engaging confection. Theodore Boborol has crafted a rom-com that doesn’t need to deviate to delight."[1]

Sequel

On February 21, 2019, Star Cinema made the announcement at the story conference for the upcoming movie.[16] The sequel James and Pat and Dave was released on February 12, 2020.[17]

Awards
Year Award Category Recipient(s) Outcome
2016 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival[4]
Best Picture Vince & Kath & James Nominated
Best Actor Joshua Garcia Nominated
Best Original Theme Song "Hey Crush" by Volts Vallejo Nominated
Best Musical Score Jessie Lasaten Nominated
Children's Choice Award Vince & Kath & James Won
2017 48th Box Office Entertainment Awards[18]
Most Promising Movie Actor of the Year Joshua Garcia Won
Most Promising Movie Actress of the Year Julia Barretto Won

References
  1. Cruz, Oggs (29 December 2016), "'Vince & Kath & James' Review: Formula done right", Rappler, retrieved 2 January 2016
  2. News, Vincent Garcia, ABS-CBN. "Trailers, photos: Get to know this year's MMFF entries".
  3. Nabus, Ambet (26 December 2016), "'Vince & Kath & James' still in the running", Manila Standard, retrieved 26 December 2016
  4. Rappler.com. "FULL LIST: Winners, MMFF 2016 Gabi ng Parangal". Rappler. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. Tsu, Mary (July 29, 2016). "Here's the lead cast of the 'Vince & Kath' film adaptation". Star Cinema. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  6. "Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Official".
  7. News, ABS-CBN. "WATCH: 'Vince & Kath & James' trailer revisits college 'kilig'".
  8. James Banaag (20 September 2016). "OneMusicPH calls attention of aspiring singers, songwriters for Star Cinema's upcoming movie". One Music PH. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  9. "EXCLUSIVE Interview with Volts Vallejo, Winner of Vince&Kath&James Soundtrack Contest!". One Music PH. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  10. "Vince & Kath & James". Soundtrack.Net. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  11. Adel, Rosette (27 December 2016), "'Vince and Kath and James' tops MMFF first-day earnings", philstar.com, retrieved 27 December 2016
  12. "'Vince & Kath & James' is overall top grosser of MMFF 2016", ABS-CBN News, 5 January 2017, retrieved 5 January 2017
  13. Tabora, Regina. "'Vince and Kath and James' generates P123M worldwide gross". ABS-CBN Corporation. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  14. Sarangay, Melvin (28 December 2016), "(Movie Review) VINCE & KATH & JAMES: Pambagets, pampamilya", Philippine Daily Inquirer, retrieved 2 January 2016
  15. Mendoza, Abby, "'Vince And Kath And James' Is Cute Without Being Annoying", FHM Philippines, retrieved 2 January 2016
  16. News, ABS-CBN. "Ronnie Alonte returns in 'Vince and Kath and James' sequel, this time with Loisa". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  17. "LOOK: 'James & Pat & Dave' poster, release date revealed". ABS-CBN News. 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  18. Calderon, Nora V. (April 23, 2017). "Vice, Coco win big at 48th Box Office Entertainment Awards". Philippine Entertainment Portal.
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