Third World Romance Review: The Filipino romantic comedy stars Charlie Dizon as Britney and Carlo Aquino as Alvin, along with Ana Abad-Santos, Gardo Versoza, Donna Cariaga, and Jun Jun Quintana. Dwein Baltazar directed the movie and also co-wrote the story with Jericho Aguado. The runtime is 112 minutes.
Third World Romance Trailer
Third World Love Story Review Contains No Spoilers
Third World Love Story Review: Plot Summary
In Third World Romance (2023), two grocery workers fall in love. The workplace romance then shifts to personal spaces. However, the struggles of life take over as their relationship is tested. Do they still manage to keep the romance alive? We find out in the end.
Third World Love Story Review: Discussion
The usual rom-com movie set-up is between two wealthy individuals. Sometimes, a rich guy falls for a girl who’s financially not well off. However, filmmaker Dwein Baltazar abandoned the conventional idea of showing love on screen in his Third World Romance film. His protagonists belong to a lower-middle-class family and work at a grocery store that pays them just enough to get through the day.
Simplicity is the strongest ingredient in Dwein’s story. We are so used to seeing a boy and a girl have a dreamy “meet cute” that how it plays out determines the outcome of the love story. But Alvin and Britney meet like it’s just an ordinary day. They naturally fall into impromptu conversations. Initially, the lack of money becomes one of the major topics of discussion to laugh at.
We are also offered some familiar elements that play a key role in every story of romance – rains, dates and starry nights. However, the financial status serves as a reminder even in these scenes. Alvin and Brit share one umbrella as it pours down heavily, devoid of rich aesthetics to make the scene look poetic. They’re looking at each other, but they’re stressed about work. Also, when it rains, there are other people walking on the street with umbrellas. The movie conveys how moments become special when they’re with the right person, even if it’s not extravagant.
By sharing their dreams, family issues, and struggles with money, Alvin and Britney’s relationship strengthens. Their ambitions are different, but their devotion to fulfilling them is the same. The way the two look at each other and find joy and affection in the smallest things makes us adore how beautifully the love is presented. As the passion is brewing, there is also a constant reflection of their economic status, which plays a key role in the third act.
Workplace romance at a job that takes everything out of someone is not easy, especially when the person as well as the career are important. We see the couple navigate through these challenges, not always in ways that favour them. Life throws challenges at them, and there is a price to everything—whether it’s losing a job or losing special people. The movie depicts how the choices are tough to make, but they’re necessary to be made even if one gets hurt.
Also Read: Congrats My Ex Review: Bella Ranee Campen Stars in a Fun Indian Wedding Flick That Fails to Connect
Even though Netflix’s Third World Romance relies on Alvin and Britney’s backgrounds, it never romanticises being poor. These are just characters who have accepted their fate but would keep working with the hope of changing everything because they want to experience happiness. Such are the love stories of common people; they are everywhere and, hence, feel realistic. The rawness is felt in almost every happy and sad moment in the movie.
Carlo Aquino and Charlie Dizon, the real-life couple, have played Alvin and Britney with earnestness and innocence. Alvin’s calmness balances Britney’s vibrancy. They are opposites in personality and yet so similar when love binds them. The deeper Alvin and Brit fall in love, the more we become fond of them. The build-up to every moment, including their first kiss and the rain scene, feels absolutely real. It’s a good break to see two individuals in a gradual process of falling in love in times where sex is the first step and emotions are left to be talked about in the end.
Third World Romance Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Third World Romance, as the title suggests, is the story of romance between two individuals who are not rich. Along with their feelings for each other, their background is the driving force of the love story, which makes them value every little enjoyment they’re blessed with. But is love enough to make people happy with each other when financial struggles control their lives? It’s a question that lingers on one’s mind as the movie ends. Yet, one rejoices seeing how things played out and hopes that maybe love is enough.
The movie is now streaming on Netflix.