Bar Boys: After School (2025) Movie Review

Bar Boys: After School (2025) Movie Review: Returning with Heart

Bar Boys was one of those films that quietly surprised us during the pandemic (yes, we watched it in 2020 and not when it first came out in 2017). It struck a balance between coming-of-age storytelling, humor while offering a heartfelt look at youth navigating their transition into the professional world. Bar Boys: After School attempts to expand that foundation by tackling more complex themes particularly public service and the realities of adulthood. While it isn’t without flaws, this sequel proves itself a worthy continuation of the story.

Set ten years after, the story finds each character on a different path of success. Torran (Rocco Nacino) is now a law professor shaping the next generation of lawyers. Erik (Carlo Aquino) works for an NGO, fighting a corporation accused of abusing farmers. Christian (Enzo Pineda), now a lawyer based in New York, returns home on a one-year leave, while Joshua (Kean Cipriano) struggles to revive his dream of passing the Bar after an unsuccessful acting career. When they learn that their former mentor, Justice Hernandez (Odette Khan), is gravely ill, the group comes together to care for her finding themselves learning from her one more time.

Bigger in scope and bolder in ambition, Bar Boys: After School takes on the challenging task of balancing its original cast with a new generation of characters, each dealing with struggles of their own. In doing so, the film stumbles. Some narrative threads feel half-baked, and not every arc is given equal weight. Christian’s storyline, for example, feels rushed, with conflicts resolving too quickly compared to the more developed journeys of the other characters. Still, despite its narrative shortcomings, the film succeeds in blending its more mature themes with familiar coming-of-age elements. The new cast brings fresh energy, and their backstories are just as compelling, if not more socially relevant, than those of the original characters. The sequel also sheds new light on the cutthroat world of law, expanding its perspective beyond what the first film explored.

What truly anchors Bar Boys: After School is Odette Khan’s performance as Justice Hernandez. She is the emotional and intellectual core of the film, delivering a performance that is both tender and powerful. Kip Oebanda once again proves his strength as a director, skillfully drawing out the film’s emotional beats even when the narrative falters. In the end, Bar Boys: After School may not achieve perfection, but its heart is unmistakably in the right place. 

Rating: 3 and a half reels