Sam Milby

Sam Milby

Thursday 26 May 2011

Of lost dreams and angst-ridden characters in ‘Third World Happy’ | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

Of lost dreams and angst-ridden characters in ‘Third World Happy’ | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online


Of lost dreams and angst-ridden characters in ‘Third World Happy’

By JULIEN MERCED C. MATABUENA
May 26, 2011, 4:25am
Sam Milby is the angsty Wes in EJ Salcedo's 'Third World Happy'
Sam Milby is the angsty Wes in EJ Salcedo's 'Third World Happy'
MANILA, Philippines — EJ Salcedo’s Cinema One Originals 2010 film “Third World Happy” has more to offer than the presence of mainstream movie and TV heartthrob Sam Milby.
While “Third World Happy” drives home the point that not all Filipinos that try their luck abroad end up being successful, it also shows how these Pinoys, as the common Filipino notion goes, just go on and put on a “happy” facade to cope with their disappointments.
Here, Milby veers away from his usual “pa-pogi” rom-com roles and plays Wesley, or Wes, a struggling Filipino expat painter based in New York City. Wes flew to the States armed with a Fulbright scholarship that would allow him to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a painter.
Though the prospect seems very promising, Wes left Manila with a heavy heart because his parents died in car crash just days before he was scheduled to leave. Aside from that, he was leaving behind his family and barkada, and also had to break up with his longtime sweetheart Aylyn (Jodi Sta. Maria) apparently without giving her a proper explanation on why he’s doing it.
On his 13th year abroad, Wes had to return home because a loved one died. His homecoming, of course, brings about reunions with friends and his ex, and also forces him to confront his fears and frustrations.
During the film’s pivotal conversation between Wes and Aylyn, the former described his current situation as “kinda in between things.”
Milby, to give him credit, was able to fully deliver the introverted, angst-ridden character this throughout the film. Perhaps also to underscore the typical “brooding artist” persona, Wes doesn’t speak much around people---opting to just give short replies in conversations, preferring to be on his own and smoke cigarettes.
It's also remarkable that Wes’ 13 years’ worth of emotional baggage is easily translated onscreen, with certain factors contributing to how viewers could easily empathize with him, like Wes’ personal conversations with his Kuya Danny (Richard Quan), the lack of background music and ambient sound (that did nothing but highlight the dubbing, which obviously shouldn’t be the case) among others. But perhaps it's Milby's own delivery that has earned him a Gawad Urian Best Actor nomination this year.
Though the dialogue may seem awkward at times – just as camera angles, scene transitions, camera focus, more than necessary number of fillers and static shots do –nothing bad can be really said about the cast, whose characters also have lost dreams of their own. It’s a nice mix that it almost seems realistic, especially with Wes’ barkada and the Milby-Sta. Maria pairing.
Despite the weight of (and the angst surrounding) the subject, though, “Third World Happy” is a heartwarming movie on the whole. The ending might be typical of Pinoy films, where everything gets resolved, but it did stay true to what actually happens in real life--wherein people actually move on with their lives without the need for any truly happy or reconciliatory ending.

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