How do I even start with Meet Me in St Gallen?
It’s probably the most relatable and most painful local movie I’ve ever watched so far. It’s asdfghjkl. I don’t have any regrets at all about watching it alone during the lowest point of my year. I was literally sobbing towards the end of the movie.
Or it could also be I was too fragile at the time so I loved it. We’ll never know.
First of all, Meet Me in St Gallen *slightly* reminded me of the Before trilogy but with more drama and a little exaggeration on the side. Second, it was so effing unfair to pair a musician with an artist slash writer. It hits right through the feels.
The Plot
One rainy evening, Celeste and Jesse met at a coffee shop—he was an aspiring musician and a medicine student, and she was an artist who just quit her job. The night was one of those rare encounters between two strangers, forming a special connection that lasts forever.
Fast forward to years later when they unexpectedly met up again at a coffee shop, and yet the timing still wasn’t right.
My Honest Opinion
Kudos to Bela Padilla and Carlo Aquino for giving life to Celeste and Jesse. You’ll get it once you watch the movie. There are times when I think Carlo is a bit awkward, I’ll give you that.
As for the movie, I’m not sure if I’m just romanticizing the whole idea of Meet Me in St Gallen but to me, it’s that movie that will make you think about that someone—your “almost”.
I understand the whole point of the movie completely revolving around two people who could have but didn’t. Although my mom, a realist, thinks that they only wasted their time playing hard to get.
Some would argue that there’s no such thing as right or wrong timing. But if you’ve been there you’d know that timing is not that easy. We all have our choices, and these two obviously didn’t try hard enough to make each other stay.
In the third set when Jesse finally had the guts to fight for Celeste, it was already too late. I guess the moral of the story here is to just fucking go for it. She’s not going to wait until you finally make up your mind. Don’t play nonchalant like Celeste, and don’t just listen to what she says like Jesse.
They’re a never-ending series of almost, and that’s what makes Meet Me in St Gallen my new favorite.
“Baka ganito talaga tayo, dumadaan lang. Never to stay. Never to stay.” – Celeste
Also, since I’m that girl who travels a lot alone, I particularly loved Celeste’s line:
“Magkaiba ang malungkot sa mag-isa. Solitude is different from loneliness.” – Celeste
In case you haven’t watched Meet Me in St Gallen, see the trailer here:
I can safely say Meet Me in St Gallen is one of the best Filipino movies on Netflix to date.
And, and, I love how You Are My Sunshine is featured in this movie. It’s one of my favorite songs as a kid.
Celeste: Maybe I’m not your muse.
Jesse: But you are my sunshine.
Other films to watch: