Ajosepo

Off the successful heels of Afamefuna, Kayode Kasum introduces another compelling feature.

Ajosepo tells the story of Dapo and Tani (Played by Mike Afolarin and Tomike Adeoye respectively), who are about to get married. Dapo hails from a disjointed family, and this looms over the forthcoming wedding as Tani’s family are conservative Christians. The film follows the couple as they attempt to keep this secret from coming to light.

At first glance, it wouldn’t be farfetched to think this movie is hinged on romance, but Ajosepo is actually about families and the dynamics that can be found in families. On the romantic side, the leads aren’t very successful in bringing their chemistry to the screen. Having less exclusive screen time between them only exposes this flaw. This is tempered by the numerous supporting characters this movie has.

A large portion of this movie occurs a day before the couple’s traditional marriage, by the first half I caught myself wondering where this movie was leading to. This isn’t because I wasn’t enjoying it though but because I felt what I’d seen thus far wasn’t enough to anchor the movie and bring a compelling ending. We’d been presented with numerous scenes that even though not pivotal to the central plot helped with character development and establishing the relationships between the characters. By the time the plot twist was implemented, it was a surprising but welcome change. The plot twist was introduced properly and was also one of the highlights of Ajosepo.

Yoruba culture is broadly displayed here, from the dialogue to the costumes and even the food. The dialogue especially will be highly appreciated by Yoruba speakers. In Yoruba culture, greetings are taken seriously, and almost any occasion can become an opportunity for greeting, and Ajosepo uses that to great effect; from one ‘eku’ to another ‘eku’, over and over again.

Family and familial dynamics are the crux of Ajosepo. Dapo’s parents being divorced clearly juxtaposes Tani’s parents who have an air of togetherness. The baggage of Dapo’s parents seeps into the children. Dapo and his brother (Jide) have a strained relationship, and the same goes with Dapo and his father. Jide (played by Timini Egbuson) also has a strained relationship with his mother ever since he left home to be with his father. Dapo’s mother (played by Ronke Oshodi Oke) is portrayed to be a bitter, irritable woman, and her divorce from her husband is hinted to have aggravated that disposition. The familial dynamics of Dapo’s family are mostly explored properly, and the storytelling and nuanced expositions given to them hold as the emotional heft in Ajosepo. Tani’s family on the other hand are the religious kind that are exposed to be more corrupt than their surface reflects. Their revelations are mostly played for comedy, also creating a counterbalance between the families.

Ajosepo is genuinely funny. The trailer hinted at its comedic elements, and the film delivers on that promise. Not every comedic attempt hits, but when it does, it hits hard. I had many laugh out loud moments so it’s easy to forgive the attempts that failed. The chaotic nature of this movie also helped enhance the comedy. The soundtrack also complements the movie.

A good wedding movie needs a grand ending and Ajosepo delivers that. The wedding montage is extravagant and lush, and even though the conclusion given to some characters isn’t entirely plausible, the quirks of the numerous characters and their dynamics thus far weren’t neglected.

It wasn’t hard to spot the product placements, especially the Maltina ad. I wouldn’t have noted this but there was a particular scene where a character happens to be holding a can of Maltina, and I couldn’t take that scene seriously because of this, this is more egregious because it was a pivotal scene.

The performances in Ajosepo are solid. I want to make a mini campaign to have Ronke Oshodi Oke in more movies. Her take as a bitter divorced woman is given a splendid portrayal. She brings her dialogue lines alive not just with how she projects them but also with her expressions. The scene where Jide berates her reveals a woman toughened by life’s experiences. Yemi Solade also shows a different side to himself. The comedic performance he gives in Ajosepo is so good that he steals every scene he’s featured, pairing him with Bisola Aiyeola in the second half of the movie is a brilliant move. It’s surprising to see Deyemi Okanlawon acting as an older man but his portrayal leaves nothing to complain about. The beard streaking he gets aids his portrayal and praise should be given to the makeup department for their good work. It’s also fun to see Timini Egbuson in a romantic movie where he’s not the lead love interest, and I love that the movie dumps the side romantic plot they were building for his character. Another performance I enjoyed was Mercy Aigbe‘s. By the second half when much about her character is revealed, I was beckoned to the level of calculatedness she’d shown prior.

Overall, Ajosepo offers a solid blend of comedy, chaotic drama, and family dynamics. Whether you’re a fan of Nigerian cinema or simply looking for a heartfelt and humorous story, Ajosepo is worth a watch.