
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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