Third World Romance

Dwein Ruedas Baltazar's 2023 Filipino film is about two young people working in a supermarket. Britney is a cashier who does not keep quiet when she sees something unfair; Alvin bags groceries and avoids arguments. The relationship that starts between them proceeds inside the daily accounting of two people choosing between paying rent and buying food. The film does not build its romance outside class; dates happen in cheap places, presents are chosen by budget, and what strains the relationship is not feeling but money. The conditions of supermarket work and the system of contract labour are plainly present. The tone is light and humorous while the criticism is clear. Who it's for: viewers who like Filipino independent cinema and realistic romance. Who it's not for: anyone expecting a love story that offers escape; the film never lets go of the money.