All by Myself

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

All By Myself ~ 2008 (Magic Moment ~ 2004)
Story/ Screenplay – Ada Ani
Director – Ifeanyi Okoli

Desmond Elliot – Don
Stephanie Okereke – Joy
Yomi Abiodun – Peter
Stephanie Salawe – Anita
Barbara Michel – Babe
Hakeem Rahman – Native Doctor/ “Astrologer”
Emeka Ojukwu – Emeka
Henry Abbah – Ade
Christy Okonkwo – Mama
Maureen Molokwu – Bianca
Abdul Adekunle – Boy
Don Richards – Sergeant
Chinwe Jideofor – Ufoma
Jessica Chibuezeoke – Angel
Nicole Nwadike – Princess

Themes Explored:
Friendship
Marriage
Charms
Astrology

My Rating 32%

My first impressions of this film were not good at all. During the credits the sound was cutting in and out as well as the music abruptly changing without fading. Na wa O! The picture quality is so amazingly bad and the camera shots all wonky that I had to remove the disc and inspect it to see if it was in fact a copy. It seemed not to be from the fact that the film title was etched in the inside of the disc. I proceed watching the film and keep my fingers crossed.

The film opens with Ron (played by Desmond) and Anita (played by Stephanie Salawe) having an argument in public on campus. We find out that Anita has been Ron’s girlfriend of four years. He put her through school only to turn up and find her cavorting with another guy and brazenly denying her relationship with Ron to his face.

Desmond is excellent at displaying his character’s heartbreak shock and anger effortlessly screaming “Heiiiiwwwoooooo!” all the while grabbing her and exclaiming, “You will marry me… IT’S A LIE… You will marry me!”

Right at the beginning after the argument scene we have long drawn out beach/horseriding scenes *YAWN* Don is reminiscing and pining for the girl that he did all those lovey dovey things with not the ruthless man hungry campus chick she turned into.

So from Ron pining for Anita we jump straight into a scene cuddled up with his wife Joy. Yeah I said it WIFE. I was thinking “Huh?” Where the hizell did she come from? We didn’t see them meeting or falling in love. We didn’t see anything. No note across the bottom of the screen. Nothing! WHERE WAS THE TRANSITION?

We find out the Ron has been married to Joy for five years and that she helped to retain him with the help of a witchdoctor AKA Astrologist. Yes in this movie they were calling the witch doctor an astrologer! Life is pretty much hunky dory until Anita comes back o the scene declaring undying love for Ron and causing mayhem in the process… and so the drama begins!

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

We see another depiction of poor female friendship. I mean from watching these films you would think that true female friendship did not exist in Nigeria at least any friendship that includes trust. When the “astrologist” decides that he wants Joy for himself Joy’s friend Babe (I know which kind name be dis?) colludes with him to snatch Ron. Joy approaches Babe with her suitcase, homeless and distressed. Instead of offering her a place to stay Babe gives her money to put up in a hotel telling her that he fiancé is due back that night. Fiancé indeed! She then persuades Ron to move in and they begin a love affair. Barbara Michel who plays Babe was good in her role. I have not seen her before but she seemed to be a natural.

Stupidity:

Ron is meant to move in with the house girl and kids but we see no sign of them at all.

There is a scene depicting the morning after Babe and Ron’s night of passion. Babe wakes up and starts coughing vigorously. Ron rushes out of the room. You would imagine that he is going to fetch a glass of water, but NO he brings back a roll of loo paper. This is a WTF moment! Now get this! She breaks off a piece and begins blotting her cheek and chin. She then stuffs the same sweaty piece of tissue into the hole in the roll. HUH? HUH? HUH? This is madness.

The ending was ridiculous. Don’s actions were blamed on the women doing charms on him so in that sense he was excused for the despicable way in which he treated Joy. We then find out that the whole film was just a “bad dream” (which it really kinda was) and in reality Joy and Don’s marriage is perfect.

NONSENSE!

Overall I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND the film. The 32% rating was for Desmond and Stephanie’s and to a lesser extent Barbara’s performances. Stephanie Salawe who played Anita was dreadful, totally unconvincing and insincere. It seemed like she tried but it was just not working. In fact maybe she was trying to hard.

The sound is appalling. Background noise rules many scenes and it is as though the volume is going on a roller coaster ride, dipping down low for extra effect. The music from the soundtrack is played extraordinarily loud and it is extra annoying because the music is outdated. Added to that on more than one occasion you hear the loud static noises from a mobile phone about to ring. To hear it once was unforgiveable but TWICE was taking the biscuit. They should have reshot the scenes or turned the mobile off! I am amazed that this film was made in 2008. Somehow nothing about the production says 2008. UPDATE: I did some research and found out this film was previously called Magic Moment and released in 2004! … Hmm… even worse they repackaged it as a 2008 film. This is just utterly despicable!

Ok so I’ve talked about the piss poor production, but get this, not only that but they were also duping the movie buyers. Believe me 419 is alive and well in Nollywood! You see Tonto Dikeh on the cover right? I mean that is Tonto? Or am I imagining things? Someone please correct me if I am wrong. Tonto’s bright azz face (no offence) is emblazoned across the cover and she is nowhere to be found in either parts 1 and 2. Which kind nonsense be this? Seriously in this day and age marketers are using these lame down low tactics. She does not even have a waka pass role. This kind of deception is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

The film was watchable to a certain degree but ultimately the bad picture quality, the sound problems and the deception just annoyed me greatly. The story line was ok until you got to the end and they came out with the “ooooh it was all a dream plot.” That just had me wondering what the whole point of the film really was and wondering whether the person who wrote it knew the point? Did the director know the point? Did the producers know the point? On the plus side Desmond and Stephanie did well and were convincing in their roles.