Starring: Adjetey Anang, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Ecow Smith Asante, Ama Ampofo, Mawuli Gavor

Synopsis:

A happily married man suspects his wife is having an affair and it provokes his own infidelity. 

Review:

Ben and Helen (Adjetey Anang & Nse Ikpe-Etim) appeared to be a happily married couple. They were blessed with success and were living a great life but somehow Helen was preoccupied. Late hours at the office, secret calls in the bathroom, and special delivery flowers, all appeared to be signs of infidelity. Ben was suspicious of Helen’s unusual behavior but she claimed it was all “work related.”  

Ben couldn’t help but to be disturbed by the “red flags” and he even discussed it with his co-worker (Ecow Smith-Asante). As the two men chatted, Claudia came up in the conversation. Claudia was Ben’s assistant and as the story progressed, she came to his aid in more ways than one. 

Let’s Talk. “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive” is an adage that fits this story. It’s a movie about adultery with an added dose of eroticism. It takes us on the train wreck of infidelity and teaches us that it’s a ride we best not get on. 

Writer, Shirley Frimpong-Manso toyed with us and tripped us up over whether Helen cheated on her husband. At first it was Ben that was suspicious of Helen but then she literally flipped the script and Helen became suspicious of Ben. The core of the movie deals with morality and as we waited for disaster to happen, the circumstances were handled with savvy and class. 

Ben used his insecurity as an excuse to succumb to an office affair. It’s only logical to wonder if he would have entered into the relationship anyway. It was known that Claudia (Ama Ampofo) had the “hots” for him and she not only made it easy to cheat, but convenient. Although Ben suffered with guilt and risked his marriage he still slept with Claudia repeatedly. Clearly desire trumped logic. 

What’s questionable about the movie is that Ben and Helen didn’t appear to have an estranged relationship. The movie opens up to their night of hanky panky and it gave the impression of a healthy companionship. It’s a wonder that infidelity was able to penetrate their marriage. This leads to the question of why either of them would cheat. Actually, why does anyone cheat in a committed relationship? The reasons are so vast that a hundred more movies can be made about it. 

Also interesting are the single people who become involved with the married. They indulge in situations that they know will likely lead to a dead-end all while accepting the “number two” position. Again, desire trumps logic. People are willing to take the plunge into a forbidden affair and deal with the consequences later. Statistics show that most cheaters don’t leave their spouse, which is why most affairs end on a bad note. 

What’s evident is that the seven-year itch happens much sooner in marriages. The question becomes how well do people really know their spouse? Has “happily ever after” reverted to a fairytale? Why are women so obsessed about getting married anyway? It certainly doesn’t mean you have him, it just means he has you. 

One memorable scene in the movie was the one where Ben defined the relationship to his side chick. He informed her that it was “an affair not a courtship.” Halleluiah. That needed to be said to remind those having affairs with married people to keep it in perspective. You have to recognize when you’re the sidepiece and not the centerpiece. 

The sex scenes. It’s a given that sex sells but I don’t believe that was the motive here. Sex scenes allow the audience to eavesdrop on private moments. It allows us to be a fly on the wall and hopefully we’ll see something to buzz about. As mentioned in the Shakira post, some viewers want more sex, more sex, more sex, while others prefer not to see it at all. In this movie the love scenes were tastefully done in that they revealed so much yet showed so little. They were well placed and provided the sizzle in the drama. 

Overall, the story was well executed and each character and each scene moved the story uphill. The main characters were sophisticated, successful people but relatable.

It’s a Sparrow Production so of course the direction and production quality were exceptional. It’s indeed a sexy movie that lived up to its expectations. 

As for performances we had two of the best – Adjetey Anang and Nse Ikpe-Etim. The casting department opened its doors to newcomer Ama Ampofo and she was a great choice to play the role of Claudia. 

The story ended as a cliffhanger and the resolution was left to the imagination. The underlying message? Maybe we’re all capable of cheating, given the right opportunity, a moment of weakness, and a willing party. RECOMMEND