Starring: Omoni Oboli, Majid Michel, Seun Akindele, Uru Eke, Sylvya Oluchy, Ayo Makun

Synopsis:

The lives of two women collide as they run from circumstances that ultimately lead to a place of contentment.  

Review:

The story commences with the troublesome marriage between Lara and Bill Elliott (Omoni Oboli & Majid Michel). Lara had fertility issues yet she objected to Bill’s decision to raise the two young boys of his deceased cousin. Adding fuel to the fire was Lara’s suspicion that Bill was having an affair with his alluring office assistant. 

In a separate storyline, the future was looking bright for Fisayo (Uru Eke). She had recently become engaged to her boyfriend but shortly after, he was murdered in cold blood. Fisayo witnessed the brutal killing and when the criminals realized she saw them, the chase was on to silence her. 

The two storylines merged when Lara and Fisayo met for the first time at the Asaba airport. Fisayo was on the run and Lara had just caught Bill in a compromising situation with his assistant. The flight was cancelled so the women shared a taxi to Lagos.

On the way, there was a horrible car accident and Fisayo (Uru Eke) was burned beyond recognition. Bill (Lara’s husband) was unaware that there was another woman in the taxi so he assumed the badly scarred Fisayo was his wife, Lara. Fisayo was rushed to the hospital and thanks to pictures of Lara; surgeons were able to reconstruct her face to Lara’s likeness. The new look was right on time for Fisayo since the assassins chasing her would no longer be able to recognize her. 

Fisayo went home with Bill and lived life as Mrs. Lara Elliott. Although Bill noticed some changes about her, he brushed them off simply believing she was his wife. Fisayo knew nothing about Lara’s life so she pretended to suffer from amnesia when it was convenient.  

Meanwhile, the real Lara was living with a strange man in the village after enduring memory loss. The man, Isawuru (Ayo Makun) took her in and cared for her after the accident. His peers often ridiculed him for not having a wife so when Lara appeared in his life, he thought God had answered his prayers. 

Lara adapted to village life while Fisayo acclimated to marriage with Bill. As both women lived a lie, new and genuine foundations developed, but it wasn’t long before someone put two and two together. 

Let’s Talk. Fantasy, anyone? This story is immersed in unbelievable events yet it was very enchanting. How did that happen?  🙂

The movie took a trip down soap opera lane when the surgeons were able to construct Fisayo’s face to look just like Lara’s. Also implausible was Bill living with a total stranger that he believed to be his wife. The script cleverly acknowledged the improbabilities but we have to remember that this is movie land and logic doesn’t matter if you’re absorbed in the fiction. 

The screenplay was written and directed by actress, Omoni Oboli. It was competently done in terms of story structure and it had all the elements to acquire viewer interest – murder, romance, intrigue, and humor. Omoni inserted shocking, funny, and tender moments that made a virtually impossible story compelling. 

There were also subtle lessons. Lara lived a bourgeois lifestyle but village life brought her back to basics. She developed feelings for Isawuru, a man that didn’t have the kind of money she was used to, which, speaks volumes to the fact that money doesn’t compensate for true love.

As for Fisayo, it was unfortunate that her fiancé was murdered, but by the movie’s end, God blessed her with more than what she lost. 

After the truth unfolded, there’s a scene where Isawuru traveled from the village to the city to find Lara. He showed up at her home uninvited and he wanted her to go back to the village with him. This scene triggered a flashback of the movie “Stolen Pregnancy” which had a similar situation where a village guy was in love with a well-to-do woman. Both scenes were poignant and impressive moments that tugged at the heart.   

Performances? Omoni Oboli coined a screenplay with ample entertainment value that also displayed her talent as an actress. She can play the glamour girl or the village girl or anything in between.Majid Michel held his own as the patient husband and Sylvya Oluchy is always interesting to watch. The only complaint is not seeing enough of Seun Akindele. 

I enjoyed this movie. It’s a winning combination of drama and fantasy that was delightful. RECOMMEND