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THE WEDDING PARTY REVIEWED




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Title: The Wedding Party
Producer: Don Omope, Ijeoma Agukoronye
Director: Kemi Adetiba
Screenplay: Tosin Otudeko
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Key Casts: Sola Sobowale, Iretola Doyle, Richard Mofe Damijo, Alibaba Akporobome, Adesua Etomi, Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama, Daniella Down, Banky Wellington, Zainab Balogun Ayo Makun (YA), Beverly Naya, etc
Date of Release: December, 2016.
Reviewer: Desmond Okon

If you’re looking for a movie that teaches on the intricacies of planning a wedding, The Wedding Party, TWP, is your best bet. The movie examines the features of a Nigerian wedding with a blend of comedy. The glitz, glam, the boisterousness, the colour, and drama typical of weddings in our clime all in a bid to make a statement; are all seamlessly presented in a natural and fantastic way for the enjoyment of viewers.

Weddings, in as much as are happy moments aren’t devoid of their own kinks, and anxiety and pressure capable of calling tears, especially when the families are not best of friends. The scriptwriter, Tosin Otudeko, shrewdly captures these issues.

The movie tells of all the laughable (and serious) occurrences that accompany the rush of planning weddings.

TWP has a simple and chronological plot. It’s a narrative of the wedding between Dunni, a 24 year old art gallery owner, and only daughter of Mr and Mrs Coker; and Dozie, IT entrepreneur and the second son of Mr and Mrs Onwuka. Both families are affluent, (two elephants in their respective industries with fat wallets). The couple took a vow of chastity and are expecting to make their first night golden.

Set in Lagos, the movie begins with an okada-man (a motorcyclist) carrying the wedding posters and transits between a pernickety and pedantic event planner, Wonu (Zainab Balogun), who is bent on making an impression. From thence, the viewers are taken through other events happening simultaneously from both families that culminates to the wedding party.
The flow of the movie climaxes soon after the pronouncement of the couple as husband and wife, when Dozie’s past comes haunting and threatening his fresh union as Dunni finds a thong (G-string) in his pocket on their way to the reception.

From Obianuju’s wish for a bomb to ruin his son’s wedding, the joshing of the groom’s friends, the cozy and friendly atmosphere laced with “girls’ talk” created around Dunni by her friends; the chaotic rupturing of the wedding gown few minutes before the church service; Obianuju’s hatred for her soon-to-be daughter in-law, the aso-ebi, the food –both local and continental’; the uninvited guests; the unscrupulous ‘village guests’; the controversial pastor who invites fire and death to the reception; to the thieve that robs almost everyone without being spotted, will Dunni and Dozie’s love conquer all things? Only patience will tell.

Though a great movie, there are a few things this reviewer is not at rest with. The subtitle is illegible due to poor colour contrast –the yellow text doesn’t contrast well with the entire background all through the movie.  The Efik tribe dancers at the reception is unnecessary. The diverse tribes or cultures (the Igbo, Yoruba tribes and even the foreign figure) already presented from the opening carried the message, as such, the introduction of the Efik tribe makes the film too ‘culturally’ crammed. More so, none of the families has an Efik lineage/origin, although it highlights the misconception that South-South and South-East are the same.

This movie is great. While the aim is to expose the hassles of planning a wedding, the movie also themes around family, friendship, culture, and encourages intertribal marriages. The family of Dunni stood by her. Despite their differences with their soon-to-be in-laws, they gave her all the support she needs recognising that it’s about her happiness, not theirs, although the mother went slightly overboard by changing Dunni’s caterer to Iya Michael’s food; angry Dunni later realizes and agrees that Iya Michael’s food “is actually pretty good”. Dozie did not lose out of family support especially from his father and brother.

Using just two families (which shows great expertise from the scriptwriter), viewers get a glimpse of how various families manage problems. For instance, most families know how to cover up certain issues (as is the case with Bamidele who didn’t tell his wife about their financial status all through the wedding) while others don’t (Uju couldn’t hide her resentment, impudence toward her husband, and her disdain for Dunni).

Apart from family, whose help will you need on your wedding if not your trusted friends? At both ends, friendship was splashed all through the movie. Dunni’s friend’ –Yemisi (Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama and Deardre (Daniella Down) are her support house, lifting her through stress and giving her laugher when sadness came. Dozie’s friends are exceptional. This theme reminds you that boys will be boys and there is no imagining the conversation in their privy. An ostentatious wedding pulled out by The Cokers and The Onwukas are apt places to witness a display of culture. This theme was everywhere. From the Aso-ebi, the attires of both families, you need not speculate the tribes of the couple. The rejection of the continental cuisine and the preference for the local dish, the show of love for “her swallow” by the symbolic White girl, Deardre Witson, further deepens culture as a theme in the film. Also, the movie throws light on the pains of intertribal marriages which has over the years received wide attention. Despite criticisms against it, in recent times, many parents (including the elites) still compel their children to same tribe marriages –and this is what the writer aims to right. Through the union of Dunni and Dozie (both of Yoruba and Igbo descent respectively), the movie encourages intertribal marriages, while subtly implying that marriages should cut across all races, not just between  people from a country, but people from different countries should be allowed to get married. As shown in the movie, Dozie’s elder brother, Nonso Onwuka (Enyinna Nwigwe), fell in love with the White girl towards the end.

Furthermore, the communication of the ideas and message of a movie is dependent on the ability of a character to get into the character –interpret a role. With the likes of Sola Sobowale, Iretola Doyle, Richard Mofe Damijo, Alibaba Akporobome, Adesua Etomi, Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama, Daniella Down, Banky Wellington, Zainab Balogun, Ayo Makun (YA), etc, the writer shows his taste for quality performance. The legendary Sola Sobowale out performed herself. As an expert, she immersed herself in the character, effortlessly showing us the true nature of a Yoruba mother whose daughter is about to wed. She didn’t struggle in trying to tell the value attached to parties by the South Westerners of Nigeria. This character will inspire and make you laugh…and “ginger you”. When he saw how beautiful his daughter is in her glittering gown as she climbs down the stairs, “we should have even charged them more bride price!” Bamidele Coker (Alibaba Akporobome) exclaimed. Although it shows how excitement can make you say awfully funny things, this character is an example of a caring father and a good husband. Alibaba is reputed for comedy, and it came naturally from him in the movie. Iretiola Doyle represents the quintessence of classy women in the society. She wants her son to get married, but just not to “a native house girl from Ekiti State”. Doyle interprets this role with brilliance, making you understand what being an elite is. Also, while Banky Wellington executes his debut performance in calmness, with a natural approach that shows he listened well to his script, Adesua Etomi didn’t do badly as well in playing Dunni. Her brilliant acting makes you know she is the perfect choice for the role. She didn’t try to ingratiate herself before her would-be mother in-law (like other girls would do). She just relied on her love for Dozie. This reviewer applauds this as deviation from the clichés.

Besides the cast, camera movement, soundtrack, slow motion and dialogue are used to convey the message. The camera movement is used for emphasis. For example, Rosy’s (Beverly Naya) lips are given a close shot –emphasizing she could never forget Dozie’s room in 100 years to come, Tinuade and Uju’s variance (through the exchange of mean glances) is emphasized using the camera when the couple arrived the reception. The awesome slow motion effect introduced after the church helps viewers with Uju’s disapproval of Dunni being expressed unabashedly in public, at the same time emboldening the free-spirited Tinuade as she dances off Uju’s anger. Soundtrack is used to create an atmosphere of romance, as well as pity in some scenes. It also accentuates the effect of Dozie’s sweet words to Dunni. It brings out the romance in the movie.

The language employed in the movie is commendable. It is befitting of all class and easy to understand. To the elite, Obianuju’s flawless English will relax you, the Coker’s accent will please the average viewer, and Harrison’s Pidgin English will make you laugh out loud. The Igbo and Yoruba languages are also used to enrich the movie’s dialogue. In fact, the diction is simple, natural and comedic.

This review will not be complete without commenting on another high point of the movie –the conflict resolution. Starting is one thing, ending is another. In the case of a wedding party where all the joy lives, a little moment of death could do the magic of bonding Felix’s family and revealing the truth about Bamidele’s finances…and an angry armed robber will do the trick; for at the point of death, humans tend to be nostalgic with hopes of living a better life if given another chance. This scene brings the audience into the genesis of Uju’s bitterness, revealed how broke The Coker’s have grown owing to planning of the wedding, units the families and brings them to the same page (the children’s wedding/ happiness) for the first time.

Notice the word “natural” appears almost frequently in this review, that is just what the movie is…natural. The Wedding Party, deserves all the praise it can get. Bringing all the elements of pulling out a wedding and finely knitting them to produce a holistic movie which also communicates other significant messages is not an easy task, yet, this was done with much ease. The writer carefully chose his genre (romantic comedy) and shot straight at it…. Kudos!

If you’re not a wedding freak, you must love to laugh…and the wedding party has all it takes to make you laugh. Go see it!

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