She’s Dating the Gangster

In the 1990s, Kenji is a school bully with a bruised heart who manipulates events to win Abi back. The present-day timeline follows a road trip to Legazpi as the truth about their past is unveiled. The two eras collide as secrets surface, driving characters toward closure or renewed hope.

The story moves from Manila during Holy Week to the Bicol region, where a life-changing road trip unfolds. Key events unfold in Legazpi City and around the Mayon Volcano, grounding the romance in iconic Philippine landscapes. The locations anchor the present-day quest to uncover the truth about Kenji and Athena's past.

⏳ Time-Love

The film toggles between a late-20th-century romance and a contemporary search for answers, showing how love endures beyond the years that separate the lovers. Bad timing repeatedly tears Kenji and Abi apart, shaping Kenneth’s later quest and the family’s memories. The past casts a long shadow over the present, guiding decisions and fates.

🔍 Family Secrets

A faded photograph and a road trip pull family truths into the light, revealing how lies and misunderstandings once blocked two generations. The aunt-like figure Athena Dizon (Kelay) uncovers a passion that was buried by time and circumstance. The revelations reframe loyalties and alter the course of present relationships.

🤝 Redemption

Kenji’s attempt to atone for past mistakes is embodied in letters and last-minute gestures that seek to repair broken ties with Abi and Kenneth. The story tests whether forgiveness can bridge decades and heal old wounds. Reconciliation arrives through patient memory work and a willingness to change.

🕯️ Mortality

Athena Dizon’s final moments and Abi’s enduring memory cast mortality as a force that intensifies the pursuit of love and belonging. The hospital scenes and the vow to still pursue a great love story heighten the emotional stakes. Death becomes a catalyst for tenderness and the hope that love can endure beyond loss.