As the first Boy’s Love (BL) film in Philippine cinema, Dolly Dulu’s The Boy Foretold by the Stars carries the weight of expectations packaged into high school romance. Its attempts at balancing sincere intimacy and heightened infatuation between two high school boys are as endearing as any romcom should be. Despite the film’s lack of proper payoff, the narrative’s escapism is still grounded in tenderness that is worth watching and rooting for.
Dulu’s love story blossoms in St. Francis School for boys when Dominic Cruz (Adrian Lindayag), a gay student, crosses paths with schoolmate Luke Armada (Keann Johnson). The latter ends up joining their school’s religious retreat after his ex-girlfriend Karen (Rissey Reyes) breaks up with him. Before the chance encounter, Dominic and his friend Timmy (John Leynard Ramos) had visited celebrity fortune teller Baby R (Iyah Mina) to gain insight on their respective paths to romance. Ignoring his skepticism towards the predictions, Dominic keeps Baby R’s guidance in the back of his mind as his friendship with Luke grows beyond the retreat.
Leaning into their roles comfortably, Lindayag and Johnson have chemistry strong enough to embody the guilt-laden yet unfeigned passion of young love nudged on by destiny. Lindayag as Dominic exudes confidence as a nod to the stereotypically flamboyant portrayal of gay characters, showing friendliness without being overbearing. Meanwhile, Johnson successfully embodies a popular school jock with nuance. From believing in fate to continuously treating everyone—regardless of sexuality or gender orientation—with respect, Luke and his journey of self-discovery is authentic in both its confusion and eventual certainty.
Though circumstances establish a romantic motive behind Dominic’s actions, his friendship with and admiration for Luke are genuine. Late night chats, shared interests, and witty banter create the perfect recipe for mutual pining, evoking the nostalgia for youth and high school crushes.
What makes their dynamic even more intriguing is the setting in which it’s established. Experiencing a coming of age as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in a private Catholic school hits close to home; Filipino students of any identity often have to navigate through such spaces. Rather than relying on secularism to rid of conflict from gay romance, the film instead boldly situates two boys who fall in love within an environment that clearly upholds religious values. Yet there are priests and students alike who show acceptance for the community beyond mere tolerance, depicting the realities of differing opinions and tribulations that come with it.
While the film’s devotion to portraying pure love is admirable, its melodrama at the height of conflict falls short. With Dominic’s eventual desperation comes dialogue that feels out of character and forceful, which places pressure on Luke and his emotions as well. Alongside this, the movie touches on issues such as past relationships and parental expectations yet fails to resolve them in favor of love conquering all, putting into question whether the conclusion feels earned.Regardless of its shortcomings, The Boy Foretold by the Stars displays care in portraying a heartwarming story much needed in the local movie scene. Destiny does not discredit the romance shown through both words and actions; it lends a helping hand in choosing to believe in love.