The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros: A Charming Kid

In a populated run-down slum in the city of Metro Manila lived people who are influenced and shaped by everyday life struggles – survive life from day to day and discover the lost innocence of youth being exposed in a miserable society. Regardless of the ruthlessness of the world, instill the charm of the blossoming of a 12 year old boy named Maximo Oliveros.

LGBT or better known as Gays are often subject to as an entertainment for their humorous character in our society. Little did people know that these personalities are more than just entertainment on what seemed amusing to them. Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The blossoming of Maximo Oliveros) is about a gay teen who is torn between his love for a young cop and his loyalty to his family. It exposes the innocence of Maximo being raised by a family who are thieves and his unrequited love for a hunk cop. It is a metaphor of a blossoming flower of finding a secured place of its own despite the extremely dirty environment.

In the beginning of the film showed the underground lifestyle of Maximo with his father and brothers who are thieves to make a living. They steal mobile phones and sell it at a reasonable price. Despite the family’s cruel lifestyle, Maximo or Maxi as they would like to call him, is accepted and loved being a homosexual at such a young age.

It may very unlikely for a “brusko” family to honor such acceptance but Maxi is treated well like a princess and is carefree to be comfortable on how she would like to be on her own skin. Maxi is so appealing and so irresistible which makes her undeniably charming. She likes to wear girl clothes, accessories and makeup. She likes to watch movies at a neighbor’s movie place and sometimes roleplay a beauty pageant with her friends. Maxi is a young boy character who loves to portray “girl” or “her” things as his gender.

Aside from his charming character, Maxi also portrayed a love of a mother who he lost at a very young age because of an unknown illness. He stood as the woman who do house chores and cooks food for his father and brothers. Sadly, he doesn’t go to school and went on like a full time housewife instead. I sympathize scenarios like this – at a very young age that is limited to engage in his or her full potential because of ruthless reality. But needless to say that not only had his charms caught my attention, his compassion and love for his family is probably one of the strengths of Maxi’s character in the film.

Every day of Maxi’s life is going on its usual routine from waking up early to prepare food for his family, do house chores and watch movies with friends afterwards. Then a hunk cop happened to save him from being harassed by tambay’s for going home late at night.

Like any normal hormonal teenager, Maxi developed feelings towards the cop who he likes to call Kuya Victor - from being friends to being in a puppy love. At first I find it adorable when Maxi steals glances at him but as the story goes on, I’ am disturbed by how Victor tolerate Maxi’s actions towards him. Not because the main character is homosexual nor I am a homophobic, it gave me an uncomfortable feeling of the “friendly” relationship between a young gay kid and an adult. And that gave strong highlight of relevance towards Maximo’s innocence about affection in the film.

Respect on sexuality, acceptance, tolerance and unrequited love are the traits that made the main character so strong that later on, was tested by cruelty with his innocence to make decisions to find a secured place for a young gay like Maximo.

Maximo’s innocence was used as the subject for sugar coating of the crime made by his older brother. His character was abused with so much cruelty happening around him. This is too much to handle for a very young kid like him to face such malice and deal with the bitterness of reality when his father was shot by another police officer. (The latter of the rivalry between them is not explained in the movie)

Events like these are very significant these days especially those poor kids who already lost both of their parents at a very young age. Despite of these eventful life of Maximo, his lost innocence was blossomed by the brutal honesty of reality.