Jeorge Estregan once again stars in a film that may show everyone that he is a badass local movie star. His films are usually remembered for its insanity, bringing unique madness that is rarely expressed in modern Filipino action movies. But Boy Golden finally executes the craziness in a consistent way. This is a biopic of Arturo Porcuna's life, but instead of taking the story too seriously, it rather creates a larger than life world where it is able to pour any madness that it wants to deliver, and this is why it's so enjoyable. The production is wonderful while everything else is a pure fun romp. Boy Golden is an odd piece of art.
The story is kind of straightforward, but what matters here more is what's happening. The best parts are either exploring each of the characters they bump into or witness its most absurd moments, but all of those scenes have the same pleasure, some can be randomly hilarious while some can be delightfully entertaining. While at the action scenes, they are obviously violent and awesome, but the humor is still scattered, even with all the grim. This is a tongue in cheek world where it almost never stops being silly and to those who seeks for something over the top will indeed love it.
But it doesn't always aims to be silly. The filmmaking brings a lot of surprises. Chito S. Roño's direction is pure cinema. The greatest scene among was the opening which slickly introduces the style of the whole film, that alone explains it all. The cinematography gives plenty of colors and made Manila look pretty snazzy. The acting is better at the supporting. The two leads are fine though, but they're much effective when they bounce in to other people.
People will indeed think that it's terribly ridiculous and almost feels like a cartoon, while it's true, there is still art to be found inside those absurdities. In the end, it's an instant cult classic, with unexpected a cappella, martial arts, and other unhinged stuff. Those things are randomly put together, but its randomness actually makes the film brilliant and totally surreal. Overall, Boy Golden is a priceless cinematic experience that lets its style and humor shine throughout the entire runtime.
