The road to happy ever after

MANILA, Philippines - “It must have been love, but it’s over now. It must have been good, but I lost it somehow.”

Do you still remember The One that got away?

Taylor (Hannah Arterton) does, but the only problem is her sister Maddie (Annabel Scholey) is marrying him in two days.

Set on the beautiful Spanish coast, Walking on Sunshine is a musical romantic comedy movie that follows Maddie as she plans her wedding in Italy. But unknown to the soon-to-be bride, her fiancé Raf is Taylor’s ex-holiday flame, and the love of her life. Well, that is just one of the setbacks on their road to happy ever after.

The title hints heavily in the direction of that legendary ’80s pop song and the soundtrack will be filled to the brim with songs from that era. The film’s music producer and composer, Anne Dudley, comes straight from the Academy Award-winning smash hit Les Misérables.

The film has an irresistible line-up of songs that makes it impossible to sit still while listening. Human League’s Don’t You Want Me Baby, a No. 1 single in the UK and in the US, sets up the theme of romantic hope. Madonna’s unforgettable hit Holiday is just right for singing along (“Celebrate!”) in the cinema. And if anyone is in doubt about the film’s fun factor, then Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun makes things as clear as they could be. There are some quieter, soulful tracks, too — Eternal Flame by The Bangles is one, and a beautiful, soft rendering of Roxette’s It Must Have Been Love (But It’s Over Now) is another — but the dominant mood is punchy and upbeat. Wild Boys gets a raunchy performance, full of energy. How Will I Know?, a hit for Whitney Houston, is a funky, foot-tapping song of a love-struck girl, and with the powerful female vocals of Venus, you have to agree with the lyrics: “Yeah, baby, she’s got it!” The pyrotechnic parade of top tracks is rounded off by Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go. All songs are performed with real verve by the stars of the film cast.

Mad about Mamma Mia? Couldn’t stop humming the songs from Pitch Perfect? Then, the new musical might be just up your street. Walking on Sunshine has all the makings of a smash-hit movie and a sing-along cult film — thanks to its charming story and locations, fine acting, and above all its stellar soundtrack, an unbeatable compilation of ’80s hits. No one could fail to smile, move to the rhythm and tap his feet along with the songs.