The Illiterate

Say what you will about her role choices, her lifestyle, her over-exuberance (if you will) but I don’t buy into the school of thought that Tonto Dikeh can’t act. Tell me that there are actresses better than her, granted. Tell me that she could be better, granted. But don’t tell me that she can’t act. Very few actresses, especially in Nollywood, have been able to show as much flexibility and diversity in their acting as Tonto has. So even if the babe just dey naturally vex you, or you no just like am, the fact still remains that Tonto Dikeh can act.

…and this movie is an evidence of that. You’re looking at her character murdering English in a manner that would kill Shakespeare a million times over, and every bone in your body is telling you to laugh because “gah-lee, what is she speaking?”. But she’s crying, her character is sad, it’s an emotional moment. And for all her grammar flaws, and for all her outfit’s  ridiculousness, and her absolute lack of makeup you are still moved to tears (well, if not to tears then at least to sympathize with her). That alone, in my opinion, is evidence that she’s doing something right.

Now Ken Erics has to be the most underrated actor in modern day Nollywood. I can’t vouch for all his role choices but I can definitely say that (at least of recent) he’s always brought 101%. His rendition of his characters are believable and in this movie he did an outstanding job.

For those who have seen this movie, you may or may not (depending on whether or not you’ve seen the latter) notice the similarities to the iroko partners film “Sister of Virtue“. Personally I’m of the belief that iroko stole the storyline off this movie. Why? Because this was more entertaining and seems more plausible. But as both movies were made in the same year I have no proof to back my assertion.

The storyline is interesting, the believability factor, however, is a bit off. What are the odds that the youngest brother would be the one to not go to school while the elders do? (Isn’t it usually the first born sacrificing?) And how does a boy who could speak perfect English in JS2 suddenly forget how to when he grows up? And for Pete’s sake, why are they all so bothered about a male illiterate marrying a female illiterate, as per he should marry a graduate? Which kain graduate go gree that union without being a blatant golddigger?

And the movie was just too long. It really didn’t need to be that long. I felt as though from the onset they had decided it would be a six part movie so they started inserting unnecessary things like useless dream sequences and overly prolonged scenes. I mean, there was this one scene where we watched Tonto clean the house. Like, literally clean the house. First we watched her wash the clothes, then rinse the clothes, then put the clothes on the line, then go to the kitchen, then sweep the kitchen, then dust, then go to the parlor, wipe the chairs, wipe the mini-bar, wipe the utensils, go to the bigger parlor, wipe the chairs, wipe the center table, wipe the decor… reading that alone is painful, imagine watching that. All I can do is thank God for fast-forward. They should have paid Tonto for the cleaning as well as the acting

All the other acts in this movie did a fair enough job. I was and still am of the opinion that Queeneth Hilbert could use a little more work as an actress, uhm… pretty face really doesn’t cut it darling you’re going to need to do something. Anything. Just do something!

And I can’t finish without mentioning the soundtrack. That thing was from the pits of hell sent to ruin a good movie.