The short film Table for 3 (2024), hailing from Philippine cinema, ambitiously attempts to explore the dynamics of a three-person relationship, potentially expanding cinema's boundaries on interpersonal relationships. However, it falls short of this aim. While the main subject could have been thought-provoking, the story's structural and narrative choices reveal numerous weaknesses.
The film's first significant flaw is its rapid, superficial storytelling. Characters lack depth, and the conflicts between them are largely confined to shallow conversations. This approach prevents the audience from fully understanding each character's complex motivations and emotions. Consequently, even in the film's pivotal moments, viewers are unable to form a strong emotional connection with the characters due to the story's lack of depth.
Another downside of Table for 3 is its excessive focus on emotional and romantic scenes. While these scenes could indeed be essential for illustrating the three-person relationship, their overuse disrupts the narrative flow, making the film feel repetitive and unfocused. Instead of adding psychological depth to the characters, these scenes end up rendering the film monotonous.
The performances suffer as well due to the lack of character depth and the film's simplistic dialogues. Although Arkin del Rosario provides a few moments of commendable acting, the other actors fail to convincingly inhabit their roles. This lack of cohesion in acting, coupled with the absence of scenes that effectively build suspense, prevents the audience from empathizing with the characters during emotional moments.
From a visual standpoint, director Ivan Andrew Payawal showcases some creativity and a distinctive visual style. However, these elements are insufficient to make up for the film's other deficiencies. While certain scenes utilize color and lighting impressively, these aesthetic touches cannot compensate for the narrative gaps and shallow characterizations.
