Circle of Trust

Oya! Before we even start, if you feel the need to mention to me that the movie is EXACTLY like the 2005 nollywood movie, “Games Women Play” based solely on the synopsis or trailer (because say na only you watch dat feem), then abeg proceed to take a couple of seats.

Circle of Trust is the story of three friends, two of whom stake a bet against one’s man. The three friends are played by Esther Audu, Ruth Kadiri and Onyii Alex. Ruth Kadiri’s character finds herself infatuated with her friend, Esther Audu’s man, played by Yul Edochie. One afternoon, when Esther’s characters offers any of her friends to try and seduce her man for a few million naira, she jumps at the offer.

Yes! Granted, the plotline is similar to the 2005 Stella Damasus, Omotola, Desmond Elliot and Genevieve Nnaji starrer, “Games Women Play”. However, the similarities really do begin and end with the bet. The movie does its own thing with the core of the storyline and is able to finagle originality in its own right.

One pleasant thing about this movie was the cast. The cast definitely made the movie easy to watch. It was a sheer delight to see Yul Edochie on screen again (for some of us haven’t seen him in a while), and all the ladies do a good job giving their characters life. Ruth Kadiri as the infatuated betraying friend is obsessive and convincing to a fault and Esther Audu embodies the rich spoilt brat who’s incapable of thinking of the consequences of her actions.

The screenplay of the movie keeps you hooked from start to finish but there are a few things in the movie that make you wonder if anyone is paying attention. First and foremost, I am going to go ahead and call out that crop top/half shirt of a disgrace that Esther Audu’s character is wearing in the climax scene (pictured in the cover photo above)? Whose idea was that? (*In my best Olivia Pope voice* that person needs to be fired with immediate effect).

Another thing done in this movie that is completely uncalled for are the amount of flashbacks or imagination scenes. In the beginning of the movie we did not need that whole lengthy barrage of scenes where Ruth’s character imagines herself with her best friend’s man. Another clip that was unnecessary was the flashback to Ruth’s ex, played by Mike Godson. It was almost as though we just needed whatever excuse to put Mike in the movie that someone said, “here let’s add that to the script” in the last minute.

Altogether, “Circle of Trust” is an alright movie. Easy to watch. But it will also probably be easy to forget.