THE THIRD PARTY
Philippines, 2018, 117 minutes, Colour.
Angel Locain, Zanjoe Marudo, Sam Milby.
Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana.
The Philippines has had a strong film industry for many decades, making a wide range of films from the very serious to the light-hearted.
It is interesting to see this film coming from a country with the Catholic culture, focusing on gay themes (which had been prominent and much more explicit with some of the major directors from the Philippines and their films, Lino Brocka, Mel Chionglo).
So, this is a film for the wide adult audience, focusing on a young woman at high school, in love with a fellow student, his going to the United States to study, his returning and being in a same-sex relationship. Her mother had abandoned her while young, something she resents, but finds that she is following in her mother’s footsteps, a casual relationship which fails, becoming pregnant, considering abortion.
The film brings the three central characters together with the pregnancy, the gay couple wanting to adopt, looking after the pregnant woman, promising to adopt her child. However, a number of relationship issues have to be sorted out, especially between the two men, one confident and out, the other feeling confused and not able to acknowledge his orientation to his parents. And the young woman goes to her mother and is able to see the parallel with herself and be reconciled.
Which means then that the issues are probed and then sorted – with a happy ending, enhanced by the sympathetic presence of the three central characters.
1. A film from the Philippines, contemporary, culture, sexuality, gay themes
2. The locations, homes, schools, surgeries, restaurants…? The musical score?
3. Affluent society, high schools, family homes, surgeries, the errant mother, age, the tight moral family? A more understanding younger generation?
4. Angel, the focus of the film, at school, her friendship with Max, love, his going to the United States to study, the breakup? The years passing? Max, his personality, going to the US? Meeting Christian, acknowledging he was gay?
5. The gay relationship, the two men, their characters, support, Max unwilling to come out to his family? Christian and his openness, his work?
6. Angel, her friends, living with her aunt, the man and his relationship with her, going to Canada, taking the money? His return, the wedding and Angel’s presence?
7. Angel pregnant, the reaction of each of the men, Christian wanting to adopt, Max hesitant, Christian proposing the solution, Angel moving in, care, medications? Max and his work? The dinner with his parents, Angel about to explain, Max changing the subject?
8. The crisis, Max and his kissing Angel, the discussion with Christian, Max going home to his parents, Angel going to her mother?
9. Angel, her mother, her mother telling of the truth about herself, the reconciliation? Showing the pattern that Angel was following, unready for motherhood, contemplating the abortion?
10. Angel and her confronting Christian, making him look at himself, his control, that Max loved him, Max telling his parents, his father’s
reaction? His return?
11. The birth, one year later, the happy combined family?
12. The gay theme, the restrained treatment, for Filipino culture? Universal?
