Defintely Marvin has the winsome quality, the reason he is gaining ground with th young fans. Charisma and real talent, Marvin has all what it takes.
As this writer delved on his career history, we can only suggest that Marvin Agustin may be the Asian Leonardo Dicaprio. Not in world fame and talent fee perhaps, but certainly in his energy and acting intensity. Proof of this is when he was singled out by the Philippine Movie Press Club's Star Awards as the best new actor of the year.
When we brought up the thought to Marvin, he expressed that he has always idolized Leonardo way before the latter became the latest Hollywood sensation -- thanks to "Titanic." Marvin has watched DiCaprio's movies including "The Basketball Diaries", "Gilbert Grape", and "Total Eclipse" over and over.
Marvin's choices for roles certainly are gutsy picks. In "Star Drama Theater," he dictated his preferred characters---a retardate (shades of DiCaprio's Gilbert Grape), a homosexual (a more overt Total Eclipse), an amputee beggar, and a Chaplinesque simpleton.
In the top-rating "Maalaala Mo Kaya" last Christmas, he also did a role reminiscent of DiCaprio's part in "Marvin's Room" opposite Ms. Charo Santos's Diane Keaton-inspired character.
In other previous TV roles, Marvin has become a witch's ostracized son ("Maalaala Mo Kaya"), a criminal's teenage live-in partner ("Calvento Files"), a ship stowaway who gets thrown in the waters ("Calvento Files"), and even an Ozone disco fire victim ("Calvento Files").
In "Ipaglaban Mo 2 The Movie," he agreed to a smaller part because it is the most complex, least predictable character - a reluctant guilt-ridden killer who finally tells on his co-conspirators.
"I am excited by roles in the gray area between good and evil--- the bida/kontrabida, the saint/sinner, that one character you love but hate so much," Marvin explains.
In the future, Marvin wants to do even odder parts: a serial psycho killer, a ghost in love, an Igorot.
In comedy, Marvin is a raw Michael J. Fox (the touted new William Martinez is anything but William). Marvin's timing is William, light and frisky, yet more sincere and noncaricature. This is evident as he is the only nonmugging actor in "Onli in da Pilipins," and the comic Romeo in his latest movie "Kung Ayaw Mo 'Wag Mo!" from Star Cinema.
Marvin's mold is more accurate than a boy-next-door image for the current 90's teen Pinoy. He is post-hiphop, pre-debonair, the masa-Gen X: that dividing line that combines young manhood with childlike excitement.
He is an original in the sense that he is more your fast-food attendant-next-door, your idol-kuya next door who may not have the money but decides to work part-time to make the gimiks.
Marvin is not an aspirational idol; you can smell and touch him: he is the youngest FX driver in the queue, he delivers your next pizza, he is the best poor young man you can bring home to your mother. Marvin's secret is in being a reachable hero.
"Pwede mong isama sa gimik."