This is an unexpectedly touching tale that tackles the taboo topic of adolescent sexuality with admirable restraint. The harsh realities of Manila create a stark backdrop for the conspicuous campness of tweenager Nathan Lopez, whose cosy relationships with his shady father and thuggish brothers are compromised when he gets a crush on the new cop on the block.
The quasi-religious nature of Lopez’s adoration tempers any innocent eroticism, but director Auraeus Solito allows the action to become increasingly melodramatic after sibling Neil Ryan Sese murders a student.