A film analysis of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros

The story starts out with where the main character lives, Maximo or better yet, what the boy prefers to be
called or what everyone calls him - "Maxi", grew up in a squatters area. He goes about its narrow streets
with his father selling a stolen cellphone, his brother selling drugs showing us the harsh everyday reality
of Maxis life. But incredibly the film shows how accepting his family, friends and neighbors are of his
homosexuality.
Unlike most gay kids who gets bullied and beaten up by their fathers or older siblings, Maxi's situation
isn't as awful, he openly does things he likes cooking, taking care of his dad and older brothers, and
even a kid thats younger than him. His homosexuality isnt actually questioned, instead his dad and older
brothers accepts and loves him for who he is.
Their neighborhood is also an opposite of what the usual idea of a squatters area would be, that even with
living in the slums, people there are lively and comfortable in their homes.
Though well-loved growing up, Maxi was exposed to what his family did for a living and being with a
pack of thieves gave him front row seats to their bad deeds. And even with this kind of set up, Maxi fared
quite well with his life.
The main character is a good mix of wit, cheerfulness and innocence as the film goes on. Hes also shown
as a good friend to everyone, who goes hang out, treats them when he has the cash and plays dress up or
pretend theyre in a beauty pageant. Hes also a very loving son and sibling.
In the film, Maxi being at the stage of puberty is actually also shown as a caring admirer as he has fallen
in love with a cop named Victor. Its quite amusing that he has found love and would do whatever it takes,
which is something I could relate to. He has tried his charm with cooking Victor food, asking him what he
likes in a woman and changing for him, protecting him from his family when he eventually found out
about their thievery what people usually do when they love someone.
There was this scene where regardless of their bad deeds, they still managed to show their affection to one
another, give their respects and prayed for their food. They have this closely-knit family, where in they
care for each other. Maxis siblings are also very protective of him, especially when they knew who
messed with Maxi the night Victor saved him.
Hes also very compassionate to Victor, especially when he ended up getting beaten up by his family he
tended for his wounds and disobeyed his father. And towards his family too, even more when they got
into trouble for his brothers mistake.
I liked the ending because not only did Maxi surpass all those hardships, he also became a better person
it gave us a better scope of who Maxie really is. After his fathers death, were shown how he got over his
puppy crush on the cop and gave into thought what mattered the most. So in the middle of poverty,
family, love and the such it all comes together for Maximos painful search for redemption.

The way I see it, society plays an important role in ones behavior, personality and principles how it
affects an individual. If I connect it with the theoretical perspectives on socialization, theres this one

where it say nurture is our nature since sociologists believe that nurture matters more in shaping human
behavior, Nature versus Nurture I can relate that to how Maxi was raised accepted and loved for who he
is, his father and two older brothers (his mother died a long time ago as showed in the film) never made
his sexual orientation a big deal. Maxi being already gay or he already had that in him, he was never
beaten, forced or asked to change himself. Hes even allowed to play with his other gay friends, wear
what he likes, and really act like a lady. That scene where his brother comforted him when Victor broke
his heart also shows how supportive his family is of who Maxi is.
Next would be The Looking Glass Self Theory (of Charles Horton Cooley), its our perception of how
other people think of us. This would be like how Maxi changed his style to a simpler look after Victor told
him what he likes in women he ends up skipping the makeup, bracelets and headband. To Maxi, he
mightve assumed he wasnt simple enough, that he was starting to get conscious of how Victor thought
of him, and that lead him to change.
With Role-Taking Theory (of George Herbert Mead), it shows how children develop their self-conception.
In the film, Maxi is taking the role of a mother since he always feeds, cooks, cleans, does laundry and
takes care of his family like a mom would. He does things like a women would do, he observed that from
his environment and with the movies he watches.
His family would be his number one agent of socialization, wherein he is taught how to be loving and
accepting but at the same time, it gave him the wrong idea of criminal cases (thievery) being okay. Then
theres his friends, who did nothing but accept him and hang around him for their game of make-believe
beauty pageants.
Maxis socialization through the life course has affected his behavior towards people and situations. And
also his orientation to who he is. In the ending, he has not thought the same way after his fathers death,
like the way he has not thought the same way about Victor. The scene where he reluctantly passed by the
cop showed how he has now moved on.
I believe that homosexuals should be treated as an equal, even though theyre labeled by the majority that
doesnt mean we should treat them with less respect or care they should be treated with equality, like
how we treat other straight individuals.