Bride for Rent
Director: Mae Czarina Cruz
Writer: Charlene Grace Bernardo, Carmi Raymundo
Cast: Kim Chiu, Xian Lim, Pilita Corrales, Empoy Marquez, Martin del Rosario, Tirso Cruz III, Dennis Padilla, Matt Evans, Lloyd Zaragoza, Zeppi Borromeo, Eda Nolan, Gerald Pesigan
Seen on: 02.02.2021

Content Note: a couple of transmisic and fatmisic jokes, but not central to the story

Plot:
Rocco (Xian Lim) can’t wait for the day he turns 25 and will finally get access to the trust fund his grandmother (Pilita Corrales) is taking care of for him. Rocco is living a life of leisure, parties and women and he intends to keep it that way with the money. But his Lala has other plans: she puts a stipulation into the contract that Rocco can only get to the money if he gets married. Rocco and his friends come up with the plan to hire an actress for the role of his wife and deceive his grandmother just long enough to get the money. Enter Rocky (Kim Chiu), a struggling actress from a poor family, hoping to make it big. Even though she feels slightly uncomfortable with the part, she can’t say no to the money. That she has a bit of a crush on Rocco is a bonus. But things quickly become more complicated.

Bride for Rent is a sweet RomCom with a couple of questionable jokes, but overall a fun watch with a nice emotional core.

I have to admit that it took me a bit to get into the film. The beginning is very frantic, with a lot of screaming on both Rocco’s and Rocky’s part. It was a bit much for me at first, but once the film settles into its story, the energy level decreases slightly and I started to really enjoy it. Especially since it meant that the entire thing of “who would be a suitable bride for Rocco” part was over – it’s in this part that the problematic jokes abound to show why some people just don’t qualify.

But I am a sucker for fake dating stories and once it’s all about Rocco and Rocky, I was there for the film. Especially since it also acknowledges the hurtful parts of the deception that is at play here, amid all the fun shenanigans that come with it. But also because Chiu and Lim have excellent chemistry on screen.

As a nice add-on, the film interviews actual couples to ask them about the success of their marriages. Couples that have been together for only a few years to decades. In-film, those interviews are part of Rocco’s work, but they are also a nice bridge because Chiu and Lim are also dating in the real world.

Bride for Rent may not be the best movie of all times, but it is definitely entertaining and will absolutely satisfy any RomCom itch you have. I enjoyed it a lot.

Summarizing: cute.