Aguruphobia

Aguruphobia is unlike any other film I've seen, comedy or otherwise, and that's saying something in today's world of formulaic movie making. I saw this in the theater on a whim, and it resulted in seeing it twice. Not sure what to expect I was greeted to a uniquely hilarious and curious storyline, populated by a cast of dazzling, standout characters. It's a roller-coaster ride of strange that always keeps you guessing where things are going. The humor runs strong throughout, but never at the expense of the film's heart: a story about a woman (played excellently by Jade Puga) suffering from a crippling phobia, and her questionable guru Nanak (perfectly embodied by Pepe Serna) who may or may not be exploiting her attempts for a somewhat normal life. The entire experience had me laughing and cheering. If you're a fan of the silly and the heartfelt-offbeat, this is the medicine to cure your phobia of the same old thing. A comedic success!

Richard Montes, 'Aguruphobia', is a film that makes you laugh but once the film is over, you find yourself thinking about the film and it's themes. There is a wonderful energy to the film. It's outrageous, gaudy, clumsy, preachy, bawdy, bizarre and is a political protest and a pop-culture explosion. It's a vibrant community mural of a film. Along the way, the execution of the narrative gets muddled, but there's no denying that this risk-taking film has a pulse. A strong pulse. Playful and piteous, touching and tragic, full of sound moral judgment and thigh-slapping wit, it's a film of sharp intelligence examining social ills that will, one fears, never entirely change. The film doesn't always work, but it's a film that dares to take chances. The performances are strong across the board, in particular it's star Jade Puga, who carries the film.