Misplaced

Piano chords playing in the background. Camera glides across the dirty wall with vague inscriptions on it. A hand moves into the frame, fingers first. Camera glides from finger to wrist, from wrist to arm. Tattoos come into focus (when did Van Vicker get this fine?). Slow movement from arm to back. Lingers on back of body. Zooms out, whole body comes into focus…. Chai! Bobby Obodo is fine sha

Lol, I watched this movie for one main reason, to be honest, and that was to see Bobby. No, not because he is so fine (I didn’t know that before this movie). But because I had only ever seen him in “Mrs Somebody” and even after that I still didn’t have an opinion about his acting. Can he act? Can he not act? Is he the 2013 version of Van Vicker (who is coincidentally also in this movie)?

And after an hour and a half of film time, I have finally developed a stance. The fact is that Bobby lacks fluidity. From “Mrs. Somebody” to “Misplaced” he’s still not convincing. His acting doesn’t seem to come from within. He’s doing it but he’s not being it; he’s saying it but he’s not feeling it. So all the viewer gets from him is flat. There’s no emotion to be felt so we’re getting… well.. nothing except his hotness.

Modern day Uche Jombo (cos you have to acknowledge that there’s a distinction between Uche today and Uche pre-2008) has evolved as an actress. Her role wasn’t spectacularly new, it was some deviation of Uche Jombo from ‘Holding Hope’ and she did her role enough justice.

I don’t know what purpose Van Vicker was there for. I mean, seeing his name on the cast one would think he was going to have a major role. On the contrary he was very much in the background, in a very facilitative role. His character could have been given to someone else, in fact if this were to be a made-in-asaba production it would have been given to someone with less prestige.

But I’m glad it was given to Van.

The role did not require much exertion from Van as an actor, therefore rendering him in a positive light. Van Vicker was there for the aesthetics. Seeing him clad in a suit from scene to scene, made me realize how much of an idiot I’ve been… this man has not lost his charm at all lol. I’m one of those who believe men were created to wear suits, so if it’s only to wear a suit that he was in this movie for then I am happy… elated actually.

The story is one of a seemingly happy couple from the outside, and an unsatisfied wife from the inside. Nollywood has been exploring these themes of marriage, and intra-marital conflicts and the interplay between man and wife for a while now. It’s become more dominant since “Mr and Mrs“. I think it’s an interesting path to follow, as regards our storylines, fact is I’d be happy with anything that doesn’t have to do with a royal family (I tire for royalty in nollywood).

However, the story is a bit inconclusive. The camera fades out when Uche is crying… so what next? Does she get back with her husband? Does he change? Does she become happy? I mean the movie just goes back and ends where it begins.

As regards general production, I think the director could have done better although I commend him for the one way him do. The overlap of the “what a character is silently thinking” over “actions that were currently going on” was a bit tacky to be honest. The audio was fluctuating from time to time and the musical score had impromptu intros and outros.

I did notice that in the scene where Uche (Debbie)  is BB’ing Bobby (Osa), her BB has his name as Osa and her name as Debbie but his BB has her name as Debbie and his name as “Bobby Greatness”. Hmm…

But on the plus side, the movie had amazing sets and amazing costumes (especially for Uche, Van and Belinda).

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