Burning Tears

African – Nigerian Movie Review

Burning Tears ~ 2010
Story – Nwawulu Arthur
Screenplay – Ruth Kadiri
Director – Ifeanyi Ogbonna
Producer – Nwawulu Arthur
An Avionic Production

Actors and Actresses starring:
Tonto Dikeh – Amara Nigerian Actress
Mike Ezuruonye – Dr Kester/ Kelvin Nigerian Actor
Kalsum Sinare – Chinwe
Kelvin Uvo – Odiegwu Nigerian Actor
Eve Esin – Nurse Chi Chi Nigerian Actress
Amanda Ebeye – Nkiru
Ani Anatosero – Joy Nigerian Actress
Ruby Orjiakor – Sandra Nigerian Actress
Chigozie Okolie – Dr Eric Nigerian Actor

Nollywood Themes:
Village Life in Nollywood
Prostitution/ Runs in Africa
Mistaken Identity in Africa

My Rating – 70%

Amara played by Tonto Dikeh is her mother’s main worry. She is jobless, disrespectful and will not listen to reason. Her sister ChiChi played by Eve Esin on the other hand is the exact opposite. Not only does she work long hours as a nurse but then she comes home to do the cooking and other household chores. The concern for Amara increases when she decides to go and live with her friend Nkiru in the city. They are dead set against it but cannot do anything to stop the stubborn and strong willed Amara. She ends up in the city but life brings her than she bargained for.

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

Peer Pressure in Nollywood
Amara goes to stay with Nkiru in the city and quickly learns that Nkiru is a prostitute or as she prefers to call it, “into runs.” If she hadn’t been so hard headed and listened to family’s advice about Nkiru she would have figured that out before leaving her home. Amara is in Nkiru’s house in the city jobless and borrowing money. From gently trying to persuade Amara to take part in runs Nkiru starts straight trying to force Amara into selling her body. Eventually she tells her in no uncertain terms: BE A HO OR GO!

It is important that even when you have someone you call your friend that you go into all situation with eyes wide open especially if you are going to be reliant on someone as Amara was on Nkiru. Amara now finds herself where she has no choice but to sell her body if she does not want to go back to the village. She doesn’t want her mum and sister to be able to say, “I told you so.”

Pretty Woman of Nollywood
Amara ends up going to an “arranged party” with Nkiru and it is here that she meets Kelvin. At this point in the story I thought that Dr Kester’s name had been messed up, as he was now being called Kelvin. I was confused for a minute, but it soon becomes apparent that Dr Kester and Kelvin are two different people. Amara is bought by Kelvin and spends the night with him where afterwards he realises that she is a virgin and vows to take care of her. Mike as Kelvin came through like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman coming to save the pretty young thang from a life of whoredom.

Materialism in Nollywood
Amara feels dreadful about what she has done and Nlkiru is not sympathetic. After seeing the 300 thousand Naira she earned for the night she tells her, “If you carry this money to your parents, won’t they be proud of you?” she has a point. Too often in Nollywood movies we see a parent proud of their child because of the material things that they can provide. Too often parents don’t think about how the money came about and whether or not it is through legitimate means.This gives children a false sense of what is right and wrong.

Favourite Scenes in a Nollywood Movie
I loved the scene where Amara brings Kelvin home and they mistake him for Doctor Kester. It was brilliantly acted by Mike Ezuruonye and the bewilderment on his face is priceless. Everybody in that scene did a great job, and I was on the sofa’s edge as they got out of the car,  just waiting for the fall out to happen and I was not diasappointed.

Back from the city and no longer timid we see Amara cuss out an elder who is insisting that Kelvin is hiding his true identity. She screams at him, “fufu mouth! See your nose, id-i-ot!” The original Amara we first saw in the village is back and it sho is hilarious.

Nollywood Forever Says What?
Why did Kevin not question ChiChi’s sanity or express more anger/emotion after she kept on insisting that he was a person called Kester? At this point he did not even register that he must be a twin so I would have expected more emotion, perhaps anger from him in terms of the way that the family were treating him. He was way too understanding and patient than I felt was real. On Chi Chi’s part after speaking to Kelvin at length should have realised that Kelvin was not her man.

There is a point where Kelvin gave Amara a blank cheque and she never used it but then we didn’t see her give it backl. I was wondering, when Kelvin had the accident why did she not use the blank cheque to pay his hospital bills instead of begging Nkiru? After all he must be loaded to be handing out blank cheques like that.

Tonto Dikeh
I love Tonto Dikeh in this movie she nails the village girl character and stays in character. We see that although Amara is a tough girl in the village terrorising her family and friends in the city she is out of her depth and we see a softer vulnerable side to her character.

Tonto Dikeh’s face looks burnt and bruised. I luh ya girl but people look at this face and know that bleaching is not the way forward. Her complexion was fine just the way it was I don’t know what possessed her, as she is beautiful as was her complexion. Another thing that I notice was what looked like deep bruising on her neck where her start tattoos were? I didn’t see Kelvin beat her up so I didn’t think it was part of the story. I assume that either they were trying to cover it up; as they didn’t want a village girl tatted up, and did an absolutely horrible botch job or Tonto is undergoing laser surgery.
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I liked the ending they wrapped it up well. It was happy and emotional, but I don’t know why noone was upset that Amara killed her mother. Chichi is saying, “oh no it was an accident.” The girl took a stick and wacked her mother with it. Which kinda accident be that? If my sister almost killed me and actually did kill my mother I would be more than PISSED. Granted forgiveness may come but not as such quick speed. ChiChi was not even pissed off for one day! How can that be normal?
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I would recommend this movie. Thumbs up to Ruth Kadiri and Ifeanyi Ogbonna… They came through again. Tonto played the hell out of the role. Eve Esin was good. Kalsum Sinare was good. Mike Ezuruonye pulled off both the Dr Kester and Kelvin roles superbly. I had a whole gamut of emotions while watching this film. I laughed, I was sad, I was at the edge of my seat tense. It was a simple but well executed movie and overall I enjoyed it.