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Movie review: Pragmatic love in 'Third World Romance'

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Fred Hawson

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Carlo Aquino and Charlie Dizon in " Third="" World="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/08/20/review.jpg"/><figcaption>Carlo Aquino and Charlie Dizon in &#x27;Third World Romance&#x27;</figcaption></figure></div><p>One day, while people lining up for ayuda at the center during the pandemic, there was a sudden strong downpour. Getting drenched, Britney (Charlie Dizon) hurriedly ducked under the umbrella of the guy next to her, Alvin (Carlo Aquino). From there developed a friendship that led to Alvin helping Britney get a job as a cashier at the Wynn Grocery where he worked as a bagger. Eventually, the two got to know each other better and fell in love.</p><p>Being an indie romance between two young people in Class D (lower middle class), their days of bliss were expectedly not going last too long, even if they promised to keep each other happy every day. There were issues arising from Britney&#x27;s OFW single mother Ging (Ana Abad Santos) whose employer abandoned her in Oman. There would also be problems arising from the way grocery supervisor Sir Dodong (Archi Adamos) ran his store.</p><p>As twentysomethings in the workforce, they would rather keep their mouths shut in the face of unfair labor practices, like running extra errands outside their job description, or not receiving their overtime pay for several months. Newcomers may have idealistic mindsets about how they should be treated fairly as employees by their bosses. However, when the time comes that fighting back could mean losing their jobs, can they still walk their talk?</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/08/04/23/cinemalaya-closing-film-third-world-romance-more-than-a-love-story">Cinemalaya closing film &#x27;Third World Romance&#x27; more than a love story</a></li></ul><p>Carlo Aquino again plays romantic lead here, a hot streak that began from &quot;Meet Me in St. Gallen&quot; (2018) up to &quot;Seasons&quot; (2023) then this one, playing consorts to beauties from Bela Padilla to Lovi Poe, and now, Charlie Diaz. Even at age 37, Aquino can still pull off the youthful energy of a guy supposedly the son of Iyah Mina, just 10 years his senior. As expected, he had both the rom-com and the romantic drama down pat as second nature.</p><p>Since breaking into showbiz big time in 2020 with &quot;Fan Girl&quot; and &quot;Four Sisters Before the Wedding,&quot; Charlie Dizon only returns to the big screen now. In three years, she looked quite different, more mature, like a different person. As she played a blue-collar worker, Dizon was deglamorized here with shorter hair and pimply forehead. Her Britney was plucky, street-smart and knew how to stand up for her rights, until she didn&#x27;t. </p><p>The production design of this Dwein Baltazar film was a bit problematic. The residences of Britney and Alvin were very spacious, not like those where a real bagger or cashier could afford to live in. Britney&#x27;s bedroom even had a lampshade and capiz windows that opened out on a roof. Alvin&#x27;s motorcycle also did not look like it was the cheapest model. Alvin&#x27;s family, while unconventional with LGBT dynamics, did not seem to be lacking means for him to be stuck in a menial job.</p><p>This review was originally published in the author&#x27;s blog, &quot;<a href="https://said-fred.blogspot.com/2023/08/review-of-third-world-romance-poor-and.html">Fred Said</a>.&quot;</p><div><strong>Related video:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2763549" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Being an indie romance between two young people in Class D, their days of bliss were expectedly not going last too long, even if they promised to keep each other happy every day.