#REVIEW: “JACKIE BOY” (CANADIAN FILM FEST)

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Jack (Alino Giraldi) is a bit of a degenerate, filling his nights with drinks, drugs and sex. He spends the majority of his time with his buddies Kal (Edward Charette) and Tony (Andrew Di Rosa), but is keen to change everything after meeting Jasmine (Shannon Coulter). But little does he know, Jasmine has a secret that could prove to be Jack’s undoing.

While I admire the minimalistesthetic writer/director Cody Campanale is going for in Jackie Boy, it makes for an increasingly frustrating viewing experience. He knows what he wants to say about these broken individuals (their ages are never made clear), but seems unable to land on the proper means to depict it. Campanale’s frank and graphically explicit depiction of modern sexuality is vivid (and is strengthened by Giraldi’s bold and fearless performance), but he completely abandons all of the ideas after the first act. And since he only allows the viewer to be privy to the slightest details of his characters, their actions late in the Film feel completely unrealistic and profane for the sheer sake of causing controversy.

Jackie Boy screens Friday, April 1, 2016, 9:30 PM at The Royal Cinema as part of the Canadian Film Fest
Stay tuned during the Q&A after the Film for a special announcement!