Nollywood Hustlers

Nollywood Nigerian Movie Review

Nollywood Hustler ~ 2010
Story – Emem Isong, Bola Aduwo
Screenplay – Bola Aduwo
Director – Moses Inwang
Producers – Emem Isong, Uche Jombo

Actors/ Actresses Starring:
Uche Jombo – Schola
Charles Inojie – Elvis
Monalisa Chinda – Herself
Ramsey Noah – Himself
Susan Peters – Paulina
Ejike Asiegbu – Prince
Ime Bishop Umoh – Lucky
Ini Ikpe – Mama Calabar
Uchenna Nnanna – Lisa’s PA
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen – Director
Razor Gabriels – Cameraman
Sharon Ojong – Shola
Mimi Ozakpolor – Landlady
Anne Kene – Schola’s PA
Chimezie Echendu – Kingsley
China Eze Opene – Interviewer
Davies Bassey – Photographer
Kelechi Duru – Cameraman

Themes:
Nollywood
Satire
Movie Making
Stardom

My Rating – 50%

Elvis played by Charles Inojie and Lucky played by Bishop Imoh are two out of work hustlers who want make a movie. With the help of Prince (Ejike Asiegbu) who provides sponsorship they set about trying to make this happen. Prince, however is adamant that his favourite stars Mona Lisa Chinda and Ramsey Noah must feature for him to be involved. It becomes quickly apparent to the two that with the budget they are working with that it is going to be virtually impossible. Schola played by Uche Jombo works in a local pepper soup joint and dreams of becoming the next big thing. Elvis and Lucky decide that if they cannot afford Mona Lisa and Ramsey they will make them appear by force and use Schola to shoot the movie vigilante style.

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

The way the movie started was disappointing. It didn’t feel like it was the beginning of a movie. You could have easily just been cutting into the middle of a movie, there was no difference. We see Schola and Elvis having a discussion. If I hadn’t read the back I wouldn’t have known what was going on. The sound was also too low and the the voices slightly muffled. That is not a good way to start a movie because it is these kind of things that can just make you switch off, nevertheless I had high hopes because it was an Emem Isong and Uche Jombo production and a much anticipated and hyped release.

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Funny Scenes

-An older woman comes to audition and is told,

By the way who even told you that we are auditioning for ancestors?

-Lucky throws himself in front of Mona Lisa’s car causing her to come to an abrupt halt. Instead of him apologising her tells her,

If you are not blind, why did you collie into me

She then calls him “A morown” to which he then tells her,

You too, you moroooooooown.

After she leaves he then comments,

This girl I always see in film eh and now she’s telling me moroooown

This was especially hilarious because Mona Lisa is known for speaking a bit like that when she is attempting to do an American accent.

-Schola with her sights on becoming a superstar decides to dump her boyfriend. Telling him that she has passed his levels. He takes offence and tells her,

Everything I done give you since dey class 1-3… Plus recharge card wey I give u now now now give it back to me.

To which she comes back with the killer line,

ordinary recharge card u dey make noise… U eh, go and gather my virginity give me back

*DEAD*

Uche Jombo was brilliant in this movie. Her razness was stupendous and she really embodied the character and had the comedy down pat. In the first scenes I was really hearing the voice of Jenifa.

-Elvis and Lucky are discussing auditioning girls and Lucky wants to be part of the process, telling Elvis,

Do you have strength in your waist to audition all of them, because I like some of them.

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I recommend this movie hesitantly, with all the hype surrounding it it is the kind of movie that people will watch regardless of what is said about it. I think that many people may find that the humour in the movie overrides the dull parts. I was surprised that I was unable to pay attention through a lot of this movie. Even when I have watched Emem Isong films in the past that I have not rated highly I can never say that I have ever been bored but in this instance there were a lot of those moments. The movie was funny in parts but mostly it just didn’t do it for me. The picture was mediocre and the sound was here and there, towards the end I kept hearing squeaking that was making me fell like I had a mouse infestation.

I was even more so disappointed in this movie because there was a huge cast, major star appearances (wasted in my opinion), big name producers and an ordinarily great director and an original storyline and it just flopped. When I read about the movie before even watching it I was so excited. It seemed like excellent idea to make a satire on the movie making process in Nollywood and not something I’ve seen before so you can imagine how gutting it feels to have to write this. I can only conclude that although the general concept behind the story was good, the actual script and execution were just not tight enough. I just hope Emem BRINGS IT the next time.