Watch The Hopeful Romantic

The Hopeful Romantic is a romantic comedy movie directed by Topel Lee and written by Ronald Allan Habon that was released in 2018. The movie stars Pepe Herrera, Ritz Azul, and Nikko Natividad. The story follows Jess (Pepe Herrera), a struggling writer who works as a freelancer in a company that creates marketing campaigns. He is in love with his co-worker Veronica (Ritz Azul) but is too shy to confess his feelings to her. One day, Jess meets a girl named Jackie (Chai Fonacier) on a dating app, and they quickly hit it off. However, Jackie is pushy and demanding, and Jess soon realizes that he is not ready for a serious relationship.

Determined to win Veronica's heart, Jess seeks the help of his best friend Officer Baka (Nikko Natividad), who is a self-proclaimed ladies' man. Officer Baka gives Jess advice on how to become more attractive to women and how to make Veronica jealous. Jess follows Officer Baka's advice and starts to change his appearance and behavior. He also volunteers to participate in a company-funded charity event where he hopes to impress Veronica.

As Jess becomes more confident, he starts to attract the attention of other women, including Veronica's best friend Tine (Vivoree Esclito). Tine is also secretly in love with Jess, and they end up going on a date. However, Jess realizes that Tine is not the one for him and he needs to focus on winning Veronica's heart.

The Hopeful Romantic is a heartwarming and funny movie that explores love and relationships in the digital age. The movie tackles themes such as self-discovery, self-improvement, and the risks of online dating. The movie also shows how societal pressures and expectations can affect people's decisions when it comes to love.

The movie's cast delivers strong performances, particularly Pepe Herrera who portrays Jess with a genuine and relatable naivety. Ritz Azul, who plays Veronica, also shines in her role as the object of Jess's affection. Nikko Natividad provides comic relief as Officer Baka, Jess's loyal but clueless best friend, while Chai Fonacier brings life to the character of Jackie, the assertive online date.

The movie's cinematography and soundtrack complement the story well, capturing the movie's upbeat and lighthearted tone. The movie also features a cameo by popular Filipino actress Kim Chiu, who plays herself.

Overall, The Hopeful Romantic is an entertaining and heartfelt movie that will resonate with anyone who has ever been in love, struggled with self-doubt, and tried to navigate the complexities of modern dating. The movie provides a fresh take on the romantic comedy genre and is a must-watch for fans of the genre.

The Hopeful Romantic is a 2018 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7.