I don’t remember the last time I would have agreed with every single fate the characters of the movie met, especially the way it’s been described in Cody Campanale’s JACKIE BOY. However, in order for you to acknowledge that, you will have to sit till the end, and wait for the conclusion. Because, if you survive the plot a writer/filmmaker offers, you most likely will survive everything else.
JACKIE BOY follows a self-destructive womanizer, Jack (played by Alino Giraldi), who tries to escape his emotional insecurity with alcohol, drugs and one night stands. In one of those nights, he uses a girl’s smartphone to take her naked picture and post it on twitter, hashtagging #meow. Seemingly having no respect towards women, Jack falls for a mysterious woman, Jasmine, who has a hidden agenda. Soon things will turn upside down, while Jack slowly changes from an indifferent person to a sensitive and caring one… But by the time when it happens, none of the characters will ever be the same….
When JACKIE BOY begins, you will quickly find him as a dislikable character. Anything he does triggers only one feeling – disgust. But that does not happen because of bad directorial work, or the story itself. It has nothing to do with Cody Campanale’s screenplay, but because of Jack, who does no good to deserve our respect. In the meantime, he does not really appear as a villain, but rather, as a selfish man, who needs to be taught a rough lesson. Well, the lesson comes, and it arrives in the form of Jasmine, an attractive young woman who plays with Jack’s feelings at first, but soon will start having feelings for him. But the plan she carries in her mind is something that she has no control over. And soon, everything will come to one devastating end.
It is also interesting to follow Jack’s friend, Kal, who seems to not agree with emotional changes in Jack’s heart, and tries to find a way to bring his friend back. But Kal underestimates Jack’s state of mind, as playing with someone who is emotionally unstable is almost like playing with fire. Cody Campanale writes an interesting story that will make you dislike the film right from the beginning, or rather, its story. However, once you continue watching it, you will get used to his approach. It is, of course, a tough film to watch but the credit must go to Alino Giraldi, who manages to capture the two sides of Jack – from loathing to a kind one.
In conclusion, JACKIE BOY is an intense drama from Campanale which explores loyalty, self-destructiveness, revenge, and love. It manages to create mixed feelings about the story, but the feeling of appreciation is what you will get in the end. The directorial work is also bold, brave, and straight-forward. It does not take much time to develop the story, which is the main reason you will find it astonishing – as you certainly are not prepared to see what’s been prepared for you. But in the end you will be rewarded, but luckily, not the same way it’s been shown at the end of the film.
Screening time:
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016
9:00PM 11:00PM
For complete schedule click here.