A Love Story We Didn’t Expect to Fall in Love With
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Film Review: Only We Know
Starring Charo Santos-Concio and Dingdong Dantes
Written and Directed by Irene Villamor (Now Streaming on Netflix)
Betty is a retired college professor, a boomer set in her ways, separated from her husband, and perfectly content with her quiet routines—cooking, painting, tending to her plants, and getting lost in books.
Ryan, a widower in his 40s, buries himself in work as a structural engineer. His refrigerator holds little more than beer, and he lives on delivery meals.
They live across from each other in the same subdivision but have never really met—until a near-collision in front of their homes forces an introduction.
As fate would have it, their paths keep crossing: Betty’s grocery bag spilling on the street, a chance encounter in the supermarket aisle over wine and beer. One word leads to another, one glance to a conversation. Soon, there are repairs (Betty needs help installing a water heater), and then friendly dinners. Betty cooks a homey meal and invites Ryan over; he returns the favor the next week.
Conversation flows easily. Betty is easy to like. Ryan begins to soften, opening up about losing his wife. Their friendship deepens—sometimes playfully, as when they fill out dating app profiles side by side and even go on double dates with people they’d meet online. They laugh about their awkward dating experiences, only to end up ditching their dates for a nightcap together, realizing they enjoy each other’s company most of all.
Charo Santos-Concio and Dingdong Dantes (Source: Netflix)
Soon, everyone could see it—even Betty’s best friend, Cora, who teases her endlessly. But there is no label, no definition. No age limit, either. Just something real and quietly beautiful. In Tagalog, we’d call it kilig—that giddy thrill of something tender unfolding. As viewers, we can’t help but root for them, eager to see what happens next.
Only We Know, a Filipino film, first premiered in theaters in the Philippines and several North American cities last June. It recently began streaming on Netflix, where it quickly climbed to the number one spot in the Philippines.
Fans of Filipino cinema, love stories, and stars Charo Santos-Concio and Dingdong Dantes can now watch Only We Know anywhere Netflix streams.
Both actors inhabit their roles with quiet grace. Santos-Concio, a multi-awarded, versatile actress, brings warmth and intelligence to Betty—the smart, gentle former professor and good neighbor. Dantes, as Ryan, is equally convincing as the brooding widower who rediscovers joy in the company of an older woman across the street. Their chemistry, magnetic and unforced, is undeniable.
The film’s plush suburban setting—its tidy houses, cars, markets, restaurants, and scenic lakeside views—paints a portrait of the comfortable life many aspire to.
Though the story hints at sadness, you’ll want to keep watching—to see how Betty and Ryan face life’s imperfections together.
Written and directed by Irene Villamor, the story unfolds as a slow burn: a small flame that grows into an iridescent glow. It’s the kind of friendship-turned-love neither Betty nor Ryan imagine they’d experience again. “Friendship is the most romantic of all relationships,” Betty says during a camping trip—and it rings true.
Symbolism weaves through the film: the stray cat that never leaves, a quiet echo of the feelings that stay; the boiling water mirroring Ryan’s buried grief; and the slice of cake he brings Betty from his brother’s wedding—a piece of unexpected joy he wants to share.
Only We Know is a feel-good, wholesome, and deeply sweet film—the romantic drama we didn’t know we needed. It’s the perfect Netflix watch when you need a breather from the world’s noise. And though the story hints at sadness, you’ll want to keep watching—to see how Betty and Ryan face life’s imperfections together.
It’s an imperfect life, after all. But we keep trying to make each day perfect—just like Betty and Ryan. How do we do it? Only we know.
Elizabeth Ann Quirino, is an award-winning journalist, food writer, and cookbook author. Her new book is Every Ounce of Courage, a memoir, is now available. Find her on TheQuirinoKitchen.com.
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