Bar Boys
Bar Boys is a 2017 Philippine comedy-drama film directed by Kip Oebanda under TropicFrills Film Productions in cooperation with Wild Sound Studios starring Rocco Nacino, Carlo Aquino, Enzo Pineda and Kean Cipriano.
| Bar Boys | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kip Oebanda |
| Produced by | Vanessa Ulgado |
| Written by | Kip Oebanda |
| Starring | |
Production company | TropicFrills Film Productions Wild Sound Studios |
| Distributed by | Quantum Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
Synopsis
A group of friends, Christian (Enzo Pineda), Erik (Carlo Aquino), Joshua (Kean Cipriano) and Toran (Rocco Nacino), enters law school together. Their friendship is tested as they face the challenges of law school and prepares themselves for the bar examinations.
Cast
- Rocco Nacino as Toran
- Carlo Aquino as Erik
- Enzo Pineda as Christian
- Kean Cipriano as Joshua
- Seb Castro as Atty Victor Cruz
- Odette Khan as Justice Hernandez. The role was originally offered to the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, to which she accepted. Defensor-Santiago later dropped out of the role as her 2016 presidential campaign had a conflict with the production schedule.
- Anna Luna as the girlfriend of Christian
- Vance Larena as Lord Master
- Hazel Faith Dela Cruz
Production
Bar Boys was produced under TropicFrills Film Productions in cooperation with Wild Sound Studios. It was directed and written by Kip Oebanda.[1] The concept for the film was created when Oebanda was watching a local horror film with a lawyer friend who described to him that law school is the "ultimate horror film". Oebanda presented the idea for the film at the 2014 Film Financing Forum.[2] This led to Oebanda researching on law schools and its culture, law students and instructors and even the concept of friendship.[1]
He describes the film as a "love story" saying that friendship is a "form of love". He says that the characters in the film went through conflicts that made them make tough decisions and was asked to pick between friendship or personal success.[1] The film was produced by Vanessa Ulgado.[3]
The film received support from the SM Foundation. Principal photography for Bar Boys was made in 2015 and additional shots were made the following year.[1] Most of the school scenes, including the library and classrooms, were filmed in San Beda University, which was then a college, while scenes depicting the bar operations were actual footage shot during the 2015 bar examinations.
Release
The film distributed by Quantum Films made its theatrical debut on August 16, 2017 as one of the twelve official entries at the 2017 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.[1]
Reception
The Cinema Evaluation Board gave Bar Boys an "A" rating. Writer-director Erik Matti described the film as "nostalgic and sentimental", saying that Bar Boys reminded him of Maryo J. de los Reyes's Bagets and Jake Tordesillas's High School Circa '65. He also praised the performance of the lead actors as well as the "nuanced detail on the inner workings of making it to law school" as depicted in the film.[3]
References
- "Bar Boys kinukumpara sa Bagets!" [Bar Boys is being compared to Bagets!]. Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). 8 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- Cruz, Marinel (14 August 2017). "Rocco Nacino challenged to be an alpha male in 'Bar Boys'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- Padayhag, Michelle Joy (15 August 2017). "Erik Matti on 'Bar Boys': "It's nostalgic and sentimental"". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved 20 August 2017.