Watching the Through My Window series, starring Clara Galle and Julio Peña, rekindled my passion for doing movie reviews. This Spanish trilogy, adapted from Ariana Godoy’s Wattpad novel, is an emotional rollercoaster with creative twists and a distinctly Spanish flair.
My Take on the Through My Window Trilogy
This Spanish series comprises three films:
Through My Window (A Través de mi Ventana, 2022)
Through My Window: Across the Sea (A Través del Mar, 2023)
Through My Window 3: Looking at You (A Través de tu Mirada, 2024)
If I ranked them based on my personal bias, it would go: Part 3, Part 1, then Part 2.
Breaking Down My Reviews for Each Through My Window Film
1. Through My Window (A Través de mi Ventana)
This first film introduces the colorful world of Raquel (Clara), Ares (Julio), and their circle. While its premise—a rich boy meets a spirited girl—might feel familiar, the Spanish cultural nuances make it fresh and engaging.
In Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, themes of young adult love and intimacy are often carefully explored. Yet Spanish cinema’s natural, unapologetic approach to romance felt like an artistic expression of love rather than something taboo. This reminded me of another Spanish film, Amar, starring María Pedraza and Pol Monen, which carried a similar tone but with more intensity.
Although Through My Window isn’t groundbreaking, it is a light-hearted romance that will satisfy viewers seeking a feel-good story with an intriguing heroine and vibrant energy. This is why I kept watching until part 3. I wasn’t specifically looking for a Spanish series or movie when I picked this film, but I found its synopsis interesting.
2. Through My Window: Across the Sea (A Través del Mar, 2023)
The plot feels predictable. It introduces Vera (Andrea Chaparro) as a third-party character to shake up Raquel and Ares’ relationship. While Vera is portrayed as cool and confident, her character lacks the depth needed to make the love triangle story different.
Usually, the execution and added elements make this cliche plot worth watching. However, neither Vera’s character nor Andrea’s acting strengthens the plot. Honestly, I skipped most parts of the film because of this.
I was more invested in the subplots, particularly the dynamics between:
Artemis (Eric Masip) and Claudia (Emilia Lazo),
Daniela (Natalia Azahara) and Apollo (Hugo Arbues)
and Yoshi (Guillermo Lasheras)
These subplots added much-needed complexity.
3. Through My Window: Looking at You (A Través de tu Mirada, 2024)
Through My Window: Looking at You is my favorite installment. It’s here I fully appreciated the movie's unique flavor. Personally, I found lines like “Writing is my love language” and “I don’t want to know love anymore; I want to experience it” relatable as a writer and a realistic romantic.
This movie stands out because it dives deeper into the characters of Raquel and Ares, adding layers to their personalities and relationships. It carries a sense of maturity that resonates more with me.
The Top 3 Strengths of the Through My Window film series
1. Clara Galle’s Performance
This was my first time watching Clara Galle’s acting, and her performance in Through My Window sets a good standard for exploring her other projects. Her portrayal of Raquel Mendoza felt natural and compelling. Clara’s best scenes were those in which she pursued Ares Hidalgo. Her love was innocent, with emotions transcending physical attraction.
She was particularly impressive in scenes like:
Sitting on Julio’s lap and kissing him to prove a point
Surrendering to Julio’s sensual moves, even when he left her hanging
Secretly stalking Julio
Casually confessing her feelings to him
2. Raquel and Ares’ Relationship
Of all the characters I watched in which the girl stalks or chases a guy, Raquel Mendoza is probably the bravest and most straightforward. She is someone I can admire in real life.
Yes, she pursued Ares and openly expressed her feelings, but she protected her self-respect. I loved it when she said she never wanted to lose her dignity. Raquel’s ability to take revenge and emotional sensibility made her character admirable.
3 Ares Hidalgo: A Refreshing Male Lead
Now that I think about it, it may be the main reason many girls are afraid to admit their feelings. Although that case happens in real life and is depicted in movies, not all guys actually do that. I know men (Filipino or foreign) who feel shy or awkward if they learn that girls admire them. They don't know what to do or are even worried.
The Top 3 Weaknesses of the Through My Window Film Series
For me, there are no significant negative parts in Through My Window, especially if you intend to watch it with a teenager's heart. However, for the sake of objectivity, here are my top 3 critiques:
1 Weak supporting love interests -
Throughout the film series, three characters are intended to create tension between Raquel and Ares: Yoshi, Gregory (Ivan Lapadula), and Vera. Each has its own story, but they lack the elements to make viewers truly invested in their characters as love interests.
Yoshi: Guillermo's character could be considered a positive aspect of the movie. He is important, especially with his role in Raquel’s writing journey. In real life, if I were Raquel, I would probably choose him over Ares. Well, that’s my subjective take, and I understand that Ares is irresistible.
Focusing on Yoshi as the other guy, he stands no chance. I am not surprised that something happened to make him more relevant in the story. Otherwise, he is just a loyal and supportive guy friend. However, I commend how “Yoshi’s Twist” was delivered and executed.
Gregory: I accidentally played part 3 before part 2. So, I watched a few scenes where Gregory and Raquel had a great time. Because of those scenes, my expectations heightened—Gregory must put up a good fight. However, he turned out to be a forgettable rebound guy. I can’t feel that Raquel is attracted to him, and I don’t think he has a unique story. He is just another coworker turned lover character.
Initially, I thought he was the son of Tere's (Raquel’s mom)’ boyfriend. That would probably make him interesting, but it would also stretch out the movie.
Vera: I think Vera's character could be more colorful. However, I see many similar or better versions of Vera in other dramas. One great example is Shigeru Okawahara (or Ha Kyung in Korea) from Boys Over Flowers. For me, the family drama makes Vera relevant—not her character itself. Though Andrea Chaparro is undeniably beautiful, Vera’s character felt one-dimensional.
2 Underdeveloped Subplots
Artemis’ storyline showed potential but ultimately felt underwhelming. He portrayed a strong and responsible son, but through preachy dialogues, he looked nothing for their parents. Suddenly, their father taps Ares to lead their business despite his obviously unreliable persona. Additionally, this is an inconsistent narrative in the entire trilogy.
Claudia’s involvement added some color to Artemis’ story. I like the character of Claudia and Emilia’s acting. However, the romantic subplot between Artemis and Claudia could have been more impactful if this had been a series. To clarify, Eric Masip’s acting is good; it is just that his character is poorly delivered.
3. Cliché Plot Devices, especially That Ares’ Red Outfit
I will rewatch Through My Window 2, but as I said, I was not really interested when I watched it the first time. Certain elements, like Ares’ red outfit sparking an argument, feel overly simple and predictable. Though that can really trigger arguments between lovebirds in real life, a more imaginative approach could have added depth to the narrative.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend Through My Window, especially Parts 1 and 3, to anyone seeking a young love drama. It offers a refreshing departure from the usual teen romance tropes, avoids bullying, and delivers an interesting romantic story.
