Grey

So if you happen to be stuck at home like the rest of us in this Coronavirus pandemic season and are in search of a love story to transport you out of your current reality then search no more – because Grey is it!

Grey starts off as a wannabe Hollywood movie remake with the story of Michelle – Peggy Ovire – who lies to her parents that she is married in order to get them to come over and spend a month with her. For that month, she hires a bus driver to act as her husband, Gregory – Frederick Leonard. As time passes, their relationship transforms into more than the initial contract – as you would have guessed – and then they grow together to face the challenges life has dealt them.

On a quality spectrum, this movie is not all that. The directing is acceptable at best. There are moments when it seems whoever is behind the camera has only just discovered the zoom functionality and is determined to use it to its death. And then there are the moments when you are waiting for the camera to focus on the subject of the frame for what feels like an eternity. The picture quality starts off amazing and fades into average by the end. And none of the performances here are anything near oscar-worthy.

Great! Now that we’ve mentioned all the negatives, let’s talk about the things that we loved.

First of all, Frederick Leonard. It’s easy to peg him as a singular type and stereotype him in the arrogant lover-boy role, but seeing Leonard here really exposes his comedy chops. In most of the scenes that required him to flex those muscles, his timing and consistency was outstanding. Maybe 0.1% of the time he staggers, but the combination of him and Anayo (Chucks Chyke) made for some solid funny moments.

 

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Then there was Peggy Ovire. Forgive my ignorance, but last time I saw her on screen she could barely hold a frame for a second. Now Peggy is in scenes without words and she is managing to speak a thousand words with her expressions and her eyes. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty room for growth still. She isn’t suddenly Meryl Streep but in comparison to the Ovire of yesteryears, this is quite impressive. The combination of her and Leonard here was a match made in heaven. Such that by the time the end credits roll around, when they profess their love to each other you feel like its your love, and when their hearts are broken you feel it in your own chest as well.

SPOILERS INCLUDED AFTER THIS POINT

The story does well with building the characters in a way that forces you to feel a connection with them. From establishing Michelle’s kind heart through her relationship with her domestic staff, to establishing Gregory’s priorities and mindsets in his responses to the situations he is met with. Because of this, by the time the characters start to invest in each other the audience already feels an investment in both characters. The story does take one too many allowances though here and there. For instance, how does a pretend husband who initially refused the role manage to show up at the right house at the right time? How does he know who her other friends are so that he can invite them for her surprise birthday party? How do the parents not manage to find out from the domestic staff that their so called son-in-law is just now appearing in ‘his’ house for the first time ever?

One allowance that seemed a bit too difficult to swallow initially was the whole bit about a death sentence from coronary artery disease, especially one that has been pre-diagnosed. However, I am grateful that the writers took the time to educate the audience about the disease and its prognosis without just leaving it in the air and expecting us to treat it like we would a cancer diagnosis.

All in all, Grey isn’t a movie that’s going to change the world or change your world. But it is one that will stay in your heart for a little longer than the average nollywood romance will. And that soundtrack definitely helps to keep it there.