Starring: OC Ukeje, Adesua Etomi, Iretiola Doyle, Somkele Idhalama, Sola Fosudu

Synopsis:
After mixing business with pleasure, co-workers, Dara and Gbenga, resort to arbitration after Dara accuses him of rape amidst other disputes. 

Review:
Dara (Adesua Etomi) played a huge role in the success of a tech company that Gbenga (OC Ukeje) started. Her invaluable input led to company financing and huge profits.

There was a mutual attraction and the two became romantically involved despite Gbenga’s marital status. When Dara learned his wife was pregnant it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. She instantly quit, leaving her share of the company’s stock on the table.

Obtaining a new job was difficult due to a six-month non-compete clause in her contract. She needed the stipulation lifted and she arrived at Gbenga’s home with that agenda in mind. They wound up in bed together and Dara later claimed she was coerced into unwanted sex. Gbenga had a completely different version of events.

Let’s Talk. This is an office drama with a legal twist. It comes on the coattail of the #Metoo movement which seeks to end sexual misconduct and men who take advantage of women in the workplace. In this case the main character, Dara, stated that she was duped into sex with the boss and cheated out of shares in the company.

The movie opened up to the actual arbitration and the events leading up to it was told in flashbacks. This was the first challenge as the filmmakers had to keep the audience absorbed as it presented the character’s versions of events. As the story progressed the alleged rape took a backseat to office politics and personal agendas.

The movie cleverly described the difference between court and arbitration and what they both have in common is that evidence still applies. It came down to whose version of the sexual encounter was correct. The movie stated that there’s three sides to a story – yours, mine, and the truth and the one thing it demonstrated is that sexual harassment can be tough to prove. 

A number of issues were brought to the forefront. 1) Women are still treated unfairly in the workplace with promotions and equal pay a struggle. 2) Some women feel they have to offer sexual gratification to those in power in order to receive what they’re entitled to, which is, quite frankly, ridiculous. Do men have to sleep with powerful men in order to advance their careers? Why should women? Where’s the equality in this world? 3) To be honest, women do exploit their sexuality to gain favor and it leads to all sorts of questions. Is this acceptable behavior? Are flirtatious women respected in the workplace? If a woman is truly skilled at her profession then why is flirting even necessary?

Speaking of office romances, it’s a sticky topic in and of itself but when the single become romantically involved with the married, as in this story, it’s a double whammy. Once the affair is over both must be ready to accept whatever the outcome, including having to continue to see each other at work. Time to put on a poker face while maintaining a level of professionalism!

Although there was thought-provoking dialogue, the movie was at times too wordy, however, conflicting arguments, risks, and emotional decisions all made for a robust script.

The characters were skillfully fleshed out and placed in the mix. Most notable was that Gbenga (OC Ukeje) was represented by a female lawyer. The writer pitted two women against each other that diligently defended their clients. It was encouraging to see successful women represented.

Performances were on point but I can’t say there was a standout. If I had to pick one it would be OC Ukeje because he authentically translated both the sleazy and human side of his character.

Audio and video were satisfactory. Some of the actors names were misspelled in the credits. Sigh…

To reiterate, sexual misconduct is a current issue that triggered social movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp. The goal is to not only bring awareness to the sexual harassment epidemic but to also end such behavior from going unpunished. Women deserve respect and breaking our silence, recognizing our self-worth, and reclaiming our power is long overdue. RECOMMEND