A heart-wrenching, dramatic, imaginative piece.
The Rundown
Behind the name: Apply literal interpretation
Country: Nigeria, 2018
Genre: Melodrama
Production: Heart in Motions Pictures
Director: Bodunrin Sasore
Cast: Zainab Balogun (as Sade), Seun Ajayi (as Tope), Nkem Owoh (as Papa Francis), Onyeka Onwenu (as Mama Francis), Richard Mofe-Damijo (as Sade’s father, Tina Mba (Sade’s mother), Chidinma Okebalama (as Anna), Shawn Faqua (as John), Eku Edewor (as Asa)
Compare to: Road to Yesterday (for the drama)
Hate it or Love it? Appreciate it
Synopsis in a Sentence: A mother with a drug addiction experiences a deep tragedy in her household, and then God calls...
On Writing: The Plot
The story goes from conventional to catastrophic in a single act… in terms of the case depicted, not the writing. The writing is fairly good and really atypical for the Nollywood space. And the melodrama is brave and daring. It explores themes of faith, addiction, mental and emotional health, family, and purpose. Now that’s a load for a modern Nollywood production! For the uniqueness of the angle, an imaginative piece.
But be warned, the story peaks fairly early, and then descends slowly, in an otherwise slow burn… without the explosive boiling point.
(3/5)
On Acting: The Cast
A good one.
Overall, the cast is believable, and for the theatrical concoction that attracts Nigerian productions, that’s a very good thing!
Zainab Balogun is the lead of the film, Sade, and she delivers her character very well. A great improvement since her first appearances on the big screen, and we’re all here for it!
Seun Ajayi is Tope, husband to the lead and he’s good also, a decent portrayal of the character.
It’s great to see Nkem Owoh play Papa Francis, and Onyeka Onwenu deliver Mama Francis, and they’re a great act in their typical (perhaps typecast) roles.
Richard Mofe-Damijo is, of course, the wealthy father, and Tina Mba plays his partner, and the mother of Sade. Same same the roles go.
Chidinma Okebalama is Anna, Shawn Faqua is John, and Eku Edewor is Asa in this movie.
Overall, a good cast, overall some convincing acting. Overall, not entirely remarkable.
(3.5/5)
On Production: The Creativity
Production is very clearly the star of this film! It’s shot absolutely stunningly, and out-rivals any of the best Nollywood productions, perhaps ever!
The creative filming, editing, and cinematography weave perfectly into the story, and in fact, enhances it. Honestly, throughout the film, while other elements threaten to weaken the movie and its delivery, the visual language, tone and special effects salvage it all!
Director and writer, Bodunrin Sasore delivers some stunning shots, vibrant visuals, and compelling effects. Some well deserved praises go to him, and the entire production team behind the scenes who never quite get enough credit for all the work they’ve wondrously accomplished!
(4/5)
On Resolution: The Conclusion
It ends alright, and the conclusion may be surprising to some, but even a melodrama needs an up-tick, right? The question is; is it?
(3.5/5)
The Verdict: A well-produced melodramatic piece. An overall good watch, for its fairly unique premise, all with very good production sequences.
Overall Score = 14/20
Posts
