The Lost Valentine: Yes, I cried.

I first heard of The Lost Valentine on Facebook sometime around last year. Never really paid attention to it. I figured it was just one of those random TV movies you get to see on the Hallmark channel. But a few days ago, it was brought up again when my boss mentioned she had watched it the previous day and was in tears afterwards. I was intrigued. I knew I had to watch the flick. Luckily, my boss lent me her DVD after I complained of missing its schedule on Hallmark.

The movie tells the story of Caroline Thomas whose husband was declared missing-in-action during WWII. Every year, on Valentine’s Day, she has been going back to the station where she sent him off to war sixty-five years ago. Her resilience and dedication earned the curiosity of TV journalist Susan Allison who hopes to do a profile on her for a TV show. From there begins the story towards closure and acceptance. Caroline needs answers. Susan is after a story. What really happened to Lt. Neil Thomas? Where is he after all these years?

I know the Wikipedia page spoils everything about the movie but nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing it yourself. Betty White was amazing as the grown-up Caroline. Best known for her comedic timing, she surprisingly stood out in her dramatic scenes. The pain, the longing… sixty-five years of not knowing whether your husband was still alive somewhere or probably dead… Caroline stayed strong because she promised Neil she’d wait for him. He was her one and only love. That said, I cried too. My boss wasn’t kidding after all! You’d be insensitive not to, especially in one significant scene towards the end.

Over-all, I think this movie stood out for me because of the positive way it has portrayed Filipinos. Yup, you read that correctly. (represent!) Now it’s not everyday we get to be featured in TV movies, right?