The Price
Majid Michel, Yvonne Nelson, JJ Bunny, Kofi Adjorlolo, Kalsum Sinare, Senanu Gbedawo
From director, Frank Rajah Arase and Venus Films Productions, “The Price” tells the story of a love lost in an attempt to satisfy a parent’s political ambitions. About the struggle to maintain the love between a young lady and her lover… and the pressures brought about by the outside world on their love affair.
"The greatest love is a selfless sacrifice"
Frank Rajah Arase
Frank Rajah Arase
2012
Story development could use some help
Frank Rajah is known for glamour, extravagance, romance (in part) and suspense (in other parts), but for the most part Mr. Arase is known for stealing movies. Mostly from Bollywood, and sometimes from Hollywood. He has stolen stories like Karan Johar’s ‘We are Family’ (losing you), ‘The Race’ (the game), ‘Ghajini (the game), Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham (Tears of Womanhood), Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai (Darkness of Sorrow), and that is just to name some of the Bollywood movies, not even going into Hollywood and Nollywood yet, that dear Mr. Rajah has copied.
When I had first read the synopsis of this movie, I had assumed it was your typical love story: boy loves girl, parents disapprove, fiasco for 2 hours, movie ends. Then I read the synopsis again before I watched the movie and it hit me, “this is Veer Zaara”. For those who don’t know Veer Zaara is a 2004 Bollywood movie directed by the late romance legend Yash Raj, and starring Shahrukh Khan (in Majid’s role) and Preity Zinta (in Yvonne’s role).
I eventually got over my shock that Frank would dare to attempt to remake Veer-Zaara when I realized that he did attempt K3G so anything is possible. My earlier shock was eventually replaced by excitement because I simply wanted to see what dear old Frank would do with the movie. Like I said earlier, Frank is known for glamour and extravagance, so I thought even though it’s theft it would be fun to watch the Ghanaian version.
Wrong! This movie fell short in so many ways that I want to go and revive Yash-ji from his grave and apologize to him on behalf of Mr. Arase. If I could choose only one thing that I wish was worked on a little bit more in this movie it’d be the plot development. I honestly would have preferred if this movie had 6 parts in order to create emotion, than this hour-and-a-half mess of a remake.
Then I think to myself, maybe I’m expecting too much, maybe because Veer-Zaara was such a grand movie, I also expect grandeur from this movie. So I removed myself from it, and stopped comparing it with the Bollywood version but it seemed even more ridiculous without that prior info. I will give it to Yvonne, she tries as an actress, I’ll give it to Majid, he is a good actor but they both just weren’t doing it for me in this movie. I wasn’t feeling the chemistry, Yvonne’s rendition seemed too staged in the early parts, and the height difference just didn’t help matters and it fell flat for me as romance flick.
However, I will admit that I did get teary eyed at the end, and just like in ‘Losing You’, I’m not certain whether that was because I was thinking of the original version or because this version was moving? Or maybe it was because of the ‘Braveheart’ soundtrack so surreptitiously appended to the last scene of this film (just wondering, do all these Nollywood and Ghallywood movies that keep borrowing the ‘Braveheart’ soundtrack, pay them for it?)?
I will give credit where credit is due, and I’ll start with commending Frank for being brave enough to attempt this movie. I’d have to commend Kofi Adjorlolo in this flick, I’m really tempted to say that he was the standout performance especially for that scene where he was standing like a soldier, yet weeping like a baby. I thought Senanu’s performance was well done unfortunately I can’t say the same about JJ’s performance. The bunny’s performance seemed to be skipping all over the place.
One thing that struck me in this movie, asides from the apparent theft was the entire Muslim motif. I understand that in the Bollywood version, the girl and her family were Muslim, but that was only because they lived in Pakistan and he was contesting for elections (as the character would not stand a chance in the elections as a Hindu man). But in the Ghallywood version, why were they Muslim? It had absolutely no bearing on the entire film. Her father was not rejecting her union on religious grounds, the religion had absolutely nothing to do with anything.
And then the hijab, oh my days. I don’t understand the idea behind wearing a hijab with a short mini-dress? I think it is entirely insulting that they had Yvonne wearing a hijab on an open dress in more than one scene.
All in all, the price is a far cry from the original flick but I’d have to wait to hear from someone who hasn’t seen Veer-Zara in order to determine whether or not the movie had any actual impact.
House Of Ga’a
Lekki Wives (The Reunion) is Coming This June!
The comments here from the reviewer & some commenters about incorporation of Islamic practices in the film are unfortunately offensive. Why should Islam not be portrayed matter-of-factly? Why does there have to be a reason or plot twist to “warrant” the family being devoutly Muslim?
Christian practices are rendered normatively without anyone batting an eye about whether said Christian practices are germane to the story or not. religious bigotry, much?
Hey Zizi, I think you’re missing the point. Being Islamic or having it incorporated into the movie is not an issue but dedicating so much film time and focus on emphasizing the Islamic nature of the family should at least have a purpose in the movie. Even if they were Christian/catholic and the filmmaker decided to have so much time dedicated to them reading the rosary or praying and going to church, it should have some bearing on the story. Let’s say maybe their religious beliefs cause them to act in a certain way, it should tie back.
You can’t just introduce a motif and spend so much time highlighting the motif in the movie and in the end it has no bearing on the movie. And it makes no difference whether that motif is Christianity, Islam, Gluttony, Greed, Debauchery, whatever the motif is should tie back, it shouldn’t just sit there idle on the table being purposeless.
i liked the movie although i found myself skipping parts of it. i still dont see the purpose of the muslim motif. seriously, it`s not like the father was refusing to give her daughter in marriage because of religious reasons. It was so out of place. And they could have made at least some effort in dressing right with the hijab. Why wear it at home if you dont wear it outside? why wear it if they are dressed with short sleeved dresses? And its not the first movie i noticed that did that. there was another one with jackie appiah but even that one made more sense
Thanks Fa, my point exactly! Couldn’t wrap my head around the reason for the entire Muslim aspect except an excuse to wear fancy/different clothes.
Lol…I actutally check it, it is 0.5 star…ahahahha!!!Awesome, you did give him credit.
But serously, this Frank guy steal movies just like that…that’s something!!
I forget to comment on the acting in my last comment. I think Majid did a good job, really, it could have been better ( but we say that for everything so not that bad…). I think yvonne was not that distress when the place crashes (that’s a abd thing). It means 1) she does better on the “cute girl roles” or 2) she needs to strenghened her acting skills.( I hope not!). You really hate JJ hein?, she was looking cute when she was dress as an “half indian – half arab princess”. But I understand she was hired to act and not to be cute (ahahah). Oh dear, I hope she will not read my comment.That was mean.
ahah…Im turning movie critics now….lol
This is a message for Frank:
Next time, please let the romance go on a little bit, so that we viewers can be shocked and sad when things take a turn for the worst. And i think this is why there were no chemistry, they didn’t even spend a lot of time together on scree.
Second, why did the movie focus on the fiance character, It was confusing. Since the father had the most to loose,wasn’t he supposed to the nasty things. ( Maybe this is way predictability get a good rating here…)
And why did Yvonne broke up with Majid exactly? I didn’t get it?
Finally, Do you think Frank will redo “Barfi”….Aahahhaha…I am so looking foward to that one!!
Ok seriously, I need to stop my comment now…!!
Bye
I finished this movie yesterday, and since I have matched Veer-Zara what? ten times or twenty, can’t remember. I really adore that movie. I knew this one was a Veer-Zara right the moment Majid was sent to Jail…Kinda hard to miss .lol. But This Frank Guy did change the story a little bit and…Shocked…you didn’t give him credit for that. Now that is not nice. Lol…
Ok but seriously, Preity did not have a baby (the child in this movie killed me….I was supposed to be crying but it was too funny…!!!). Second, she was not mad. So we have to give him credit for that. A little innovaion, but innovation still…
I think we should never compared apples and bananas. Bollywood movies are really and very emotional. They are known for that. So Majid and Yvonne will never be able to compare.
And finally as a muslim girl, I can vouch for the fact that one can be veiled and wear a normal dress. It’s pretty common in the younger generation. When Yvonne wore the short sleeves dress, I believe she was at home,so thats fine really. I love the outfits and the music ( pretty different from all the other ghanaian movie I watched).
And finally (for real this time), I love you review…Ahhahha. As usual very entertaining.
As they say in Hindi, phir milenge (until we meet again)
Hey Ndeye, we did give him credit for his originality though… that’s why it’s not an outright zero on the stars for ORIGINALITY.
But let’s take away the Bollywood aspect and look at the movie as it is, the plot wasn’t well developed, shockingly (I seem to be the last person to catch this) Yvonne Nelson can’t act, obviously JJ Bunny can’t act, there was no chemistry between Majid and Yvonne, and the story has way too many illogical lapses.
Especially when you consider that this is a Frank Rajah movie, like Frank Rajah of Princess Tyra, Tears of Womanhood, Darkness of Sorrow? Those were stolen love stories too and the message was felt in the Ghanaian version.
So I don’t know whether it was because it was only an hour and thirty minutes but this doesn’t cut it, my apologies I just can’t subscribe to this view that this movie was all that. It’s OK! That I’ll grant
Lmao NR! You had me laughing. I do have to say that though I find your review entertaining, I disagree with it to a large extent. Reason being that I have never seen the Indian movie you referred to and so I watch this movie from a fresh perspective and I was extremely impressed!
I also liked the Muslim part, I thought the movie would have been somewhat boring without it. Hahaha I never knew Frank was known for “stealing” stories o, I should pay more attention… Regardless, great review as always. Very entertaining.
Well… I guess you have a point