A Cry For Justice

A Cry For Justice ~ 2010
(Repackaged as God Of Justice 1&2, Justice Served 3&4)
Story/ Screenplay – Ikenna Emma Aniekwe
Director – Ikenna Emma Aniekwe
Producer – Ossy Okeke Junior

Starring:
Jackie Appiah – Nonye
Mike Ezuruonye – Ugochukwu
Mercy Johnson – Ella
Charity Eke – Linda
Uzor Ndubuizu Junior – Obi
Rev Wasky Oguegbu – Honourable
Obi Dike – Dr Chidi
Gerry Ikpenwa – Dr Voke
Chinyere Nwabueze – Principal

Themes Explored:
Poverty
Forgiveness
HIV
Family
Loyalty
Runs

Rating – 72%

Nonye played by Jackie Appiah is from a poor background and when her mother dies she resorts to runs to put herself and her younger brothers through school.Six years after first resorting to turning tricks things are looking good. Her brother Ugo has just finished his NYSC, her other brother is in school and they are all living together comfortably until fate strikes. Jackie goes to see one of her clients and arrives just after he has been shot dead. The police come and find her there just after she has arrived and take her in on suspicion of murder. It is by luck that she is released on a cleaner’s eyewitness testimony and all is well again, that is until her brother Ugo brings home the girl he wants to marry, a runs girl that Nonye knows from the scene. She wants to speak up and warn him but to do so will be revealing her own past.

*************SPOILERS*************

Mercy Johnson is the baddest. She can play any role and nail it. She is most definitely in my top 3 Nollywood Actresses. There was one scene where she first meets Ugo and is persuading her Chief to give him a job under the pretence that he is her cousin. It was hilarious because the chief had decided he was ending their affair to concentrate on his marriage but her character Ella would not take no for an answer. We see chief repeatedly try and kick her out of the office and her relentless attempt to try and seduce him.

There was a very emotional scene between Nonye and Ugochukwu where Ugo calls his sister a whore and she has to break it down for him how the sacrifices she made with her body and dignity were all selfless acts done for the good of the family unit. It was easy for him to pass judgement after reaping the benefits of her sacrifice. They both played their parts excellently and displayed the raw emotion needed for the scene to work and be effective at resonating with the viewer.

Things that make you say WHAT???

How was the Doctor telling Ugo about the death of his only brother and dropping the fact that the guy is dead in so casually. He said it so nonchalantly as if he were passing pleasantries about the weather. Made me say WHAT?

How do you call the police to the hospital to arrest a doctor all because of a test result? The doctor can say that Nonye was diagnosed HIV because of a lab mix up. I guess that might just be Naija for you, but nevertheless. Made me say WHAT?

I was a little disappointed by the whole death by kidney transplant and the remarkable waking up from the dead scenario at the end of the movie just because that was such a predictable thing to happen in Nollywood but not so realistic in real life. In Nollywood every abortion ends up in death or infertility, plane crashes occur daily and blindness from birth or otherwise always cured by rich men who can afford operations in Europe or the USA. When I see these things happen I just roll my eyes because it is just soooo UNREALISTIC. Apart from that I was happy that the ending was happy and the family was reunited. Who doesn’t love a happy ending?

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I would recommend this movie. It was a very simple storyline but well told and well acted. There were no waka passes to come and spoil the show. There was a moral to the story which was, what is done in darkness shall come to life. What you do in your past will always catch up with you even if you do change your life, so be careful what you do in the first place. This is one of the better movies I have seen in a long time and even though I later found out that I was watching the Part 3 and 4 it was watchable just like that. The one on one scenes in particular really drew me in and tears came to my eyes on more that one occasion. I felt a huge amount of sympathy for Nonye and what she went through all because she had a strong desire to survive and see her family succeed in life. Thumbs up!

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