Love Scandal

Ghanaian Movie Review
Love Scandal ~ 2010
REPACKAGED AS WAR OF THE ROSES
(Continuation – Sister’s Betrayal)
Story – Gifty Oteng
Screenplay – Asare Bediako
Director – Asare Bediako
Producer – Emmanuel Nneji

Starring:
Ecow Smith Asante – Maxwell
Emelia Afie Brobbey – Jenny
Nikki Samonas – Sylvia
Prince David Osei – Kingsley
Mary Afriyie Forson – Auntie Serwaa
Luis Sefa-Bonsu – Desmond
Livingston Kwame Lotsu – Cole
Samuel Nii Odoi Mensah – Mr Bossman

Themes:
Unrequited Love
Family
Betrayal
Masculinity

Nollywoodforever.com Rating – 50%

Maxwell meets Jenny when he runs her over in his taxi. He takes her of her until she is released from hospital and from there a friendship blossoms. Max falls on hard times and she promises to help him out as long as he promises that their friendship will last for eternity. He makes the promise but her definition of friendship does not match his and so it remains to be seen whether or not he will keep the promise and what the repercussions will be if he does not.

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

Jenny when she is released from the hospital comes around to Max’s house looking like a complete house rat. I assumed that she was a poor down and out girl that Max took pity on. How all of a sudden does she turn to rich and glamorous with no explanation? That didn’t make sense to me. Where was her family during that time? There wasn’t any memory loss story line so what was that all about?

Jenny comes to Maxwell’s house to thank him for all the assistance that he provided her whilst in hospital and is chased away from the house by his mother. We then see on the screen “Some Weeks Later.” The next scene is Maxwell at Jenny’s palatial home apologising for his mother’s actions. He says, “I apologise for what happened earlier on. I’m really sorry on behalf of my mum.” Huh? How is that a few weeks later then? The editing in this movie was MESSED UP.

There were a few sex scenes in the movie and they were pointless. They did not add value to the story or even fit into the storyline. We see one which turns out to be Jenny dreaming about Max. There is some awful music playing and Jenny swinging her big fat thigh over Maxwell’s body. The scene is so awkward. She has to physically use her hands to help herself carry her thigh. Na wa oo! Then we have her trying to look sexy by swinging her head around but all I can notice is how her natural hair is sticking up at the front of her head and contrasting starkly with the weave. After the horror that was the imaginary sex scene Jenny wakes up and starts rubbing herself on a pillow. Hmm. Oooo-kay.

SISTER’S BETRAYAL

After watching Love Scandal I was disappointed as the movie didn’t end. What I had watched thus far wasn’t enough for me to be able to recommend it. After watching the continuation however, I would recommend it but only if you are bored as the movie is just too long and not good enough to justify having 4 parts. It did improve a lot in the last two parts as the drama was revved up and the storyline with Nikki Samonas and Prince David Osei introduced, but the ending was really disappointing. It felt like a cop out. Like they didn’t know which direction to take and so killed everyone off.

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Masculinity and Respect
Maxwell is not afforded the respect that he deserves as a man in the house because he is not financially supporting his family. In one scene he tries to reprimand his sister for snogging a guy on the front porch and his mother instead of supporting his action scolds him, “do you pay your dues in this house?” His mother is only concerned with money and her attitude does a complete turnaround when she discovers that Jenny is not poor like she thought. It is this sort of attitude that makes children of such parents resort to crime. There is too much emphasis on fast money and not any on education and getting money the right way.

The Suitcase Scenario
Why in Nollywood (I use this term to also encompass the Ghanaian movie industry) when someone is packing out of a house, or being thrown out do all their belongings fit in one case, and sometimes it is even a small hand luggage size case? Seriously how does that work? Whether they are living in one shack in the village or a mansion they will always pack their life away in one bag? Does that mean I’m a hoarder that I cannot envision me being able to do the same? Maxwell’s mother throws him out and hands him the case that contains all his belongings that she managed to pack in about, oh 10 seconds.
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I would only recommend the movie if you have nothing better doing. It is watchable. There were however too many filler scenes for my liking. Peaople walking, cars driving, for what? After 5-10 seconds we get the gist. We don’t need endless scenes of people doing nothing. The storyline was interesting, although not that original, but could have been executed in a better fashion. The new girl (Nikki Samonas) is pretty and a decent actress. No doubt with a few more roles she will get better and better. I have a bone to pick with Ghana though. WHY ALL THESE NEW YELLOW ACTORS AND ACTRESSES??? It stinks of self hate and I don’t like it. Please don’t tell me in a black country you cannot get any decent actresses or actors that are BLACK, artistes that represent the majority of people that patronise your movies. Its pure disprespect I tell ya!