Kumari Shreya
Netflix’s ‘Missed Connections’ is a Filipino romantic movie directed by Jelise Chung that follows a hopeless romantic named Mae, who falls in love at first sight with a man she sees at a grocery store. Eager to find her “perfect match,” she enlists for an online dating platform. It is not long before Mae finds Norman, the man she has fallen for, and it seems like he is also looking for her. However, after meeting him in real life, it turns out his dream woman is someone else.
The themes of miscommunication, romance, and realization pave the way for a story that one feels familiar yet fresh. Starring Miles Ocampo and Kelvin Miranda, the movie has garnered much interest among viewers, with many eager to know more about how it came to be. The realistic themes portrayed in the film also make one wonder if the plot is entirely fictional or inspired by real-life events. So, let’s explore it all together, shall we?
Missed Connections is Not a True Story
‘Missed Connections’ is not based on a true story. The Jelise Chung directorial uses realistic settings and themes to create a memorable viewing experience where viewers cannot help but relate to certain aspects of the various characters. A large part of the movie’s praise can be attributed to the work done by writers Chung and Gilliann Ebreo, as well as the actors and the chemistry between them. Indeed, Kelvin Miranda has been quite open about how his work experience with Miles Ocampo was quite positive.
As for the movie’s plot, you might find yourself somewhat familiar with certain story aspects, given that they are far from uncommon themes. The idea of a person being in love with someone who, in turn, loves another is quite a common trope. Consider ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding,’ the hit romantic movie starring Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, and Cameron Diaz. The 1997 film follows Julianne, a woman trying to break off the engagement between her best friend Michael and his fiancée Kimmy.
Despite the similar themes in the movie, what separates the two is the easy usage of contemporary technology and themes in the Netflix film. Additionally, while Julianne is chasing after a man she has a long history with, Mae is in love with a stranger. That said, Norman’s character is not so different, given that he is in search of his own dream girl whom he also saw at a grocery store. In other words, Mae and Norman are not so different regarding their romantic nature.
While one might wonder how realistic it might be for people to fall for someone based on first impressions, the contemporary growth of online dating indicates that in itself is not such an unrealistic concept. Additionally, some of the actions of certain characters might seem problematic to the audience from an external perspective. Still, one also needs to remember that this highlights the flaws of the various people involved in the story. While romance is the central theme of both films, the personal growth of the two women is the real end goal.
As we can see, ‘Missed Connections’ is not based on a true story. Nevertheless, it does deal with several realistic themes regarding love and one’s expectations for their potential significant other. The film tries to convey that simply being in love is sometimes not enough, and a person cannot be completely happy until and unless they are able to not only respect the emotions of others but also try to understand themselves a bit better.
