She's Dating the Gangster is a 2014 Philippine coming-of-age romantic comedy drama film based on the Pop Fiction book of the same name originally published on CandyMag.com's Teen Talk section and it was popularized on Wattpad by Bianca Bernardino (pen name: SGwannaB). The film is directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, topbilled by Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, together with Dawn Zulueta and Richard Gomez. It was distributed by Star Cinema with the co-production of Summit Media and was released on July 16, 2014, in theatres nationwide as part of its 20th anniversary presentation.
Plot
Kenji Delos Reyes delivers a speech during a wedding. However, his son Kenneth makes out with a girl in a bathroom stall, which opens as the girl’s grandfather enters, leading him to chase Kenneth to the reception hall. Kenji berates Kenneth, to which the latter says that he does not want to be with him but has no choice. He also says he knows about Kenji's relationship with another woman named Athena. Disappointed, Kenji says that Kenneth has no idea how much he loves him and his mother.
Sometime later, Kenneth finds out the plane taking his father to Bicol has crashed. He rushes to the airport to see the list of survivors. There, he meets Kelay, who turns out to be Athena's niece and also wants to see the list. To beat the crowds, Kelay feigns hysteria, claiming that she does not want her father dead, whom she claims is Kenji delos Reyes. Hearing this, Kenneth confronts her and says he is Kenji's only child. Kelay responds by showing Kenji’s picture with Athena. Confirming the picture, Kenneth is accommodated by the airline while Kelay is ignored. Kenneth confronts her to ask who Athena is, and Kelay says that she will tell him once he agrees to update her about Kenji. While Kenneth sleeps at a bus station while waiting for a ticket to Legazpi, Kelay arrives and buy tickets for the two of them.
On the way to Legazpi, Kelay, Athena’s niece, tells the tale of young Athena and Kenji in the 1990s. Kenji is a feared "gangster" who is brokenhearted over Athena "Abi" Tizon. Wanting to get back together, he mistakenly sends his messages to the pager of another girl, Athena Dizon. Athena, not knowing who the messages are from, agrees to meet up with the sender. While Athena plays pool at the venue, she is driven off by Kenji, who is then mugged by a rival group of gangsters teasing him for "Bee"'s absence. Hearing this, Athena and Kenji realize the mix-up in the messages. To Athena's surprise, Kenji kisses her forcefully and tells her that she will be his pretend girlfriend as she owes him for his mugging and in order to get Abi jealous. At first, Athena refuses despite Kenji's bullying, but eventually gives in when he attempts to jump off the school's rooftop.
Athena is treated like a princess in school with Kenji providing her bodyguard and protecting her from jealous girls who bully her. Their pretend relationship eventually becomes real and the two confess their love for each other. Kenji takes Athena to Legazpi to see Mayon Volcano and promises that someday they will get married in the volcano's shadow. When they return to Manila, however, Kenji stops attending school. Athena is then invited by Lucas to see Kenji in the hospital. Worried, Athena hurries and finds a confined Abi suffering from gastric cancer, which was why she broke up with Kenji. Wanting Abi to survive and be happy, Athena breaks up with him. Kenji and Abi get married and Abi gives birth to Kenneth.
In the present, Kenneth, arriving in Legazpi, receives a call from Lucas, who helps look for Kenji. On their way, Kelay is told by her family that Athena is dying of illness. Kelay and Kenneth part ways with Kenneth promising that Athena and Kenji would meet once he finds him. Kenneth finds the hospital where Kenji is confined and reads his letter to him. In the letter, Kenji tells him that he was on his way to Legazpi to say goodbye to his memories with Athena and apologizes for making Kenneth feel that way. When Kenji wakes up, the two hug and reconcile. When Kenji recovers, Kenneth takes him to Athena’s house. Athena tells Kenji about her disease and tells him that his love kept her alive through the years. She says she is happy for Kenji and dies in his arms. Kelay wakes up to a phone call telling her that a flight has gone missing again and Kenneth was on that flight. When she goes to look for him she makes a scene again, telling the media her 'boyfriend' is missing. Kenneth witnesses Kelay and it is revealed that it was actually Kenji who called her. Kenneth asks Kelay if they can have a great love story like his father and Kelay's aunt had and are about to kiss as the screen cuts to black.