There’s something warm and fuzzy about Bar Boys: After School. A direct sequel of director Kip Oebanda’s Bar Boys, which came out in 2017, the film follows the characters from the first movie almost a decade later, as as they face new challenges and witness a whole new batch of law students preparing to take the bar exams. Bar Boys: After School, directed once again by Kip Oebanda and written by Oebanda, Carlo Catu, and Zig Dulay, feels like a tight hug in what some would describe as a really tough year. The movie leans into sentimentality and even being corny at times, but as the film unfolds, I found myself asking, “Why not?”
The movie is meant to inspire, to appeal to the kindness of the Filipino people, and to take lawyers to task in preserving the law and fighting for justice. There’s an ambiguity surrounding the role of lawyers in the first film – a discussion that was made about whether criminals have a right to a strong legal defense – and while it was discussed, was never really given a definitive answer. In the sequel, we see through one of the main characters, Erik Vicencio (Carlo Aquino), that he has taken this to heart and works at a law firm that helps underprivileged people, sometimes accepting crops as payment instead of cash, as that is what his clients can afford.
Torran Garcia (Rocco Nacino) questions his role as a corporate lawyer, finding more meaning and value in teaching law at a school.
It’s his story that connects us to the younger cast, which includes Trisha Perez (Sassa Gurl), a trans woman vying to graduate with honors, and Arvin Asuncion (Will Ashley), struggling working part-time to pay for his studies.
All of this unfolds while Justice Hernandez (Odette Khan), the mentor to the four main characters, lies in the hospital with a terminal illness.
Gone are the neutrality and bare-faced facts of the first film (though it had a lot of heart). Now, Bar Boys: After School is presenting to us the ideal. As each character goes through personal challenges – additionally, among the main cast, Christian Carlson (Enzo Pineda) returns home from America as he is coming to terms with the breakup of his marriage, while Joshua Zuniga (Kean Cipriano) is now a has-been actor who is going to law school himself – the film takes the most heartwarming road toward a positive resolution. It doesn’t shy away from the hardship, we get to see it firsthand, but it is always aiming for something that will uplift your spirits.
I found myself resisting the film at the beginning, but as the film continued, I found myself warming up to the warm embrace of its goodness. For the Christmas season – and for all the tough times that may come in 2026 – this movie feels like the warm hug I mentioned earlier. Oebanda painstakingly creates a fiction that inspires and motivates us to be better. It’s so sincere, and that sincerity, in all honesty, is refreshing. I’m happy for it.
Unfortunately, the film is weighed down by its large cast and the need to give each character a moment and a storyline. The strongest storyline here is that of Erik Vicencio and his battle for justice for some farmers, Toran Garcia and his role as a teacher, and Justice Hernandez and what she means to people. Aligned with this, all of Toran’s students, Trisha and Arvin and CJ (Therese Malvar), help solidify the film’s thematic core. Sadly, the storylines of Christian Carlson and Joshua Zuniga don’t necessarily fit squarely into the film and seem like they are only there for the purpose of continuing the stories of their characters. I honestly wouldn’t have minded if they took more of a supporting role, as the film is strongest when it works with the three storylines of Erik, Toran, and Justice Hernandez.
The whole cast, though, is very strong. There are fantastic performances all around, with Odette Khan and Sassa Gurl standing out with such strong performances, but the ones that stood out most for me are those of Rocco Nacino, Will Ashley, and Sheila Francisco, who plays a lawyer representing the landowners at odds with Erik’s clients. Francisco embodies the antithesis of Justice Hernandez and relishes the role, without ever turning her into a caricature. It’s a role with little screen time but with great impact on the entire film. If the movie is meant to inspire goodness and kindness, Francisco is ably allowing a contrast.
Rocco Nacino is effortless in his portrayal of Toran. He is the moment, in his character’s skin, that everything he says and does feels spontaneous and right in the pocket. He comes off so naturally that it never feels like acting.
Will Ashley, meanwhile, is a powerhouse. He draws you into Arvin Asuncion and makes it real, making his character’s struggles palpable, tangible. There is a scene (as seen in the trailer) where he talks about his hardships that had me completely attentive and I just started crying. He musters a vulnerability that grabs you and, and having seen his other MMFF film Love You So Bad, I can see he has incredible range. He’s going to be a star
Bar Boys: After School is a refreshing, feel-good movie that doesn’t resort to escapism but instead appeals to our best nature, inspiring us to do good and be good. It feels like a film from another time, yet it is so well-suited for the era we’re in. It’s the perfect film for the MMFF.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Catch Bar Boys: After School this MMFF and feel the warmth, inspiration, and heart that only this film can deliver, don’t miss it! Get showtimes here.
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