Starring: Alexx Ekubo, Eddie Watson, Tana Adelana, Lilian Esoro, Ifeanyi Kalu, Desmond Elliott

Synopsis:
Secrets, lies, and scandal escalate when three single women commix with their male neighbors.

Review: Rita, Oma,and Lola lived under one roof to share life and living expenses but not everything was what it seemed. Rita (Tana Adelana) secretly made a living as a hooker while she ridiculed Oma (Hauwa Allahbura) for being a stripper.

The third woman, Lola (Lilian Esoro), was busy dating Derrick (Alexx Ekubo), unaware that he was a playboy. Derrick happened to live nearby with his roommates, Afam and Bayo. He allowed Afam (Eddie Watson) to “borrow” Lola for a weekend so Afam could pretend he was engaged, an effort he hoped would distinguish his father’s pressure to settle down.

Meanwhile, Bayo (Ifeanyi Kalu) a Christian, took an interest in Oma (the stripper). As she danced the poles at nightclubs, he believed her nightshift was at a bakery. As the two households continued to intermingle, chaos unleashed but somehow love prevailed.

Let’s Talk. This movie lived up to it’s title because three was indeed a crowd. Two households were closely played as the writer neatly used the small cast to relay several storylines.

The topics were typical – womanizing, prostitution, wealth, and of course love. It was reminiscent of the spirit of Pascal Amamfo’s “4PlayReloaded” and “Single Six” where multiple stories conflated with the expectation of a happy ending.

Not everything was believable. For instance, the storyline where Afam took Lola to his father’s house for the weekend so she could masquerade as his fiancé was one thing, but for Lola’s boyfriend to allow the charade was questionable. Of course we all know what this storyline led to.

Also iffy was the story where the Christian guy fell for a stripper even after he caught her kissing his uncle. But regardless story credibility, the movie moved a fair pace and managed to captivate. Watching a bunch of attractive people was hardly painful and somewhere within the hoopla, a marriage happened, so something positive resulted.

Performances? The movie showcases some of Nollywood’s gems but the roles were enchanting, not challenging. However, the casting was so congruent that in terms of coupling, any interchange of the characters would have worked.

One minor flaw, though, is that the female leads looked so much alike, especially Lilian Esoro and Tana Adeline. A double take was necessary on occasion.

Audio, video, and direction were adequate.

All in all, “3 Is a Crowd” threw some zing into an old routine and delivered the diversion we all needed. RECOMMEND