My Property

The name of this movie as well as the actors in it will lead you to believe that this is some kind of comedy, it is not. It is an actual drama and a surprisingly good one as well. There are some comedic moments for sure but that’s not  all it is about.

The plot is quite interesting, is paced beautifully and has a very clear structure. It is original and while predictable it is still fun to watch. The characters including the bad ones are relatable especially Nkem Owoh’s. What is especially refreshing about this film is that each character/actor is given their own space and that Nkem Owoh who is expected to be the main character just fits in. He does not dominate nor is he underused. Although right in the middle of part two,  a large chunk of the film became obsolete. It could have ended right there and then without going much further. Instead to pad it out ,there was too much focus on shenanigans. About thirty minutes in an already long film did not need to be in the film, it contributed nothing to the movie and made the film longer. After previously being impressed by the pacing, those minutes really jar.

Nkem Owoh was brilliant, like that is hard to believe. He was funny and dramatic without running into overkill. Even in the aforementioned pointless scenes he didn’t overpower. I have no idea what persona Nuella Njubigboh was putting on but it was not amusing at all. Brun Halda(?) was a calm , natural presence on screen, if they didn’t mention that she was from another country no one would have noticed-take note Frank Artus. Chigozie Atunanya as the soft emotional choir master was great.

The soundtrack is grating and overly repetitive and the sound quality was not good at all. The visuals compared to films on YouTube and the like was piss-poor. Both the visual and the audio makes the film look like it was made three years ago. There were continuity issues as well, for example in one shot an actress was missing only to appear again only to leave. Small losses of control again made it look like it was filmed in 2010.

In conclusion, if you were avoiding this film because it presents itself as a comedy, know that it is not. It is actually a semi well-crafted drama and I would recommend it. Issues with labelling women as property and self-control notwithstanding.