Sweet Tomorrow

Sweet Tomorrow

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Nigerian Movie Review
Sweet Tomorrow ~ 2008
Story – Emem Isong, Chi Chi Onwurahi, Uduak Isong Oguamanam
Screenplay – Emem Isong, Uduak Isong Oguamanam, Omoni Oboli
Director – Osita Okoli

Starring:
Desmond Elliot – Bruno
Rita Dominic – Tamuno
Omoni Oboli – Erica
Ramsey Noah – Akan
Justus Esiri – Chief Johnson
Ngozi Ezeonu – Selena Johnson
Mbong Odungide – Tonye
Ihuoma Nnadi – Christy
Okey Uzoeshi – Efe
Emmanuel Innocent – Gateman
Seun Omojola – Feyo
Emem Ebitu – Nkoyo

Themes:
Love African
Rebellion Africa
Physical Disability in Nigeria and Africa
Marriage of Convenience in Africa

My Rating – 69%

Tamuno (Rita Dominic) is in love with a jobless rasta that she met at university called Bruno (Desmond Elliot), but is betrothed to Akan (Ramsey Noah), somebody that her parents consider decent, successful and respectable. She is not in love with Akan but nevertheless plans on marrying him to please her parents, and not get cut off from them financially as they have threatened should she jeopardise her relationship with Akan. The wedding is planned but two days before the wedding Tamuno gets cold feet and runs of to elope with Bruno leaving her friend Tonye to break the news to him.

Akan offers Tonye 2 million Naira to marry him in Tamuno’s place. It is strictly a business arrangement and she is supposed to live with him for 3 months before parting ways. She is reluctant to take part in the scheme but later succumbs to the temptation of the money.

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

I loved the build up of love between Akan and Tony. It was heartwarming and gradual. It seemed like he really was falling deeply in love with her, as she was with him, all for the evil  Tamuno the rasta lover to come and dig her claws back into him. I was really disappointed that Akan fell for her scheming ways. Such actions show the illogicality of the heart, or should I say the groin? Akan tells his sister Erica,

“I know what I’m doing is wrong. I just can’t help myself.”

One scene that stuck out for me was the very touching scene between Erica and Tonye at Christy’s house. Erica tells Tonye how much of an inspiration she was to her. Erica pours her heart out and Tonye although largely vocally unresponsive to Erica’s claims soaks in Erica’s pain and we feel it through her manner and expression. Both ladies were excellent in this scene especially as well as throughout the movie. This scene brought a tear to my eye. Kudos to Mbong Odungide and Omoni Oboli.

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One thing that I didn’t find very realistic was the rapidness of Erica’s healing process. There is a scene where Tonye places pure water bags on Erica’s foot and all of a sudden Erica’ exclaims with joy as if a miracle has occurred. How can a miracle occur with two pure water bags in the space of a few seconds? YEAH RIGHT! The bags weren’t even icy, or hot, so in effect they were probably room temperature and actual water was not even touching her feet. This was just so unconvincing!

I didn’t like the fact that Bruno had a fake Jamaican accent. He could have just had a Nigerian accent and thrown in a few patois words in now and then. It was annoying and irritating because Desmond’s imitation accent was just so bad. At first I thought that he was actually supposed to be Jamaican but that idea was dispelled when he breaks into pidgen English when he confronts Akan over Tamuno at the gate of her compound. The whole bad Jamaica accent detracted from the story in my opinion, although it could have been the intention to have the accent like that.

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Overall I liked the film, and would recommend watching it.  It was an unoriginal story but still very watchable with some nice touches. Even though Desmond’s dodgy accent was getting on my nerves it was still very comedic and there were great emotional performances by Omoni Oboli and Mbong Amata.