By Amadi Chimaobi Kingsley
WHEN the Metro Goldwyn Mayer logo appeared on my screen, I wondered briefly if this was a Nigeria movie I wanted to see. And when I realized the movie was bankrolled by Amazon with -what I assume is- a generous budget, one would not expect a mediocre handling of things, at least where money was concerned. For as good as money is, sometimes, it cannot replace a masterpiece. And what’s a good film without a good budget and plot? For all it’s worth, the sprinkle of genius here and there matched the extravagance, making Christmas in Lagos a colorful curation of love.
As a Christmas movie, it is a wannabe. ‘Love in Lagos’ is perhaps a more appropriate title as the movie didn’t exude the typical Christmas experience. Although, the arts production tried to convince otherwise, it was still a non-Christmas movie.
Christmas was early in Jade Osiberu’s ‘Christmas in Lagos.’ The other inconsistency in its setting -also, on a jovial note- was that end of year carnivals which we don’t have any more and night life in Lagos was more of concert and night clubs were unlikely to be as lively in real life as they were in the film, after all it is 2024, BAT is the President.
At the start of the film, it was not clear how the director planned to weave three -or four- distinct love stories simultaneously without crashing the film. Un-disappointingly, Jade Osiberu did well, piloting the subplots to safe landing. Expecting less from her would be a disrespect to her class as a movie professional.
While Nollywood has more than hacked costumes, cinematography, and casting, it continues to struggle with plotting, with several question marks around the storytelling of Christmas in Lagos, the latest in a lengthy line of disappointing scripts.
Let’s talk cast:
I’m inclined to think that Shalom Chibuiken Obiago (Elo) is a miss as I am sure he was cast into his role purely for looks and nothing else, he delivers his lines with little confidence and his chemistry with Yagazie and Fiyin is nonexistent. Never has the center of the affections of two beautiful women been so passive and bland. At times, I felt sorry for Teniola Aladese (Fiyin) at being paired with such a dispassionate character on screen.
His best scene came towards the end of Christmas in Lagos, with an expression of angered outburst proving to be the most animated his character would be throughout the movie’s runtime. I think he struggled badly from start to finish. I mean, it’s one thing to be oblivious to the feelings of your female best friend. It’s quite another to rely on the acting of your on-screen partners to convey the right message to the audience scene after
Teniola Aladese’s depiction of Fiyin was the pick of the bunch. While I, perhaps, gravitated to this character due to relatability (I fell, and am still in love, with my best friend), Fiyin’s love for Elo was palpable throughout, and I was disappointed at how things turned out in the end (more on that later).
I was impressed by her devotion to her best friend, even when it was clear that she was losing him. While the mini disaster toward the end was her making (She had no business kissing him), I felt sorry for her and thought she deserved some redemption arc rather than being forced to stay second choice from start to finish.
I also loved the younger version of them: Fiyin and Elo…. You can’t have your best friend pinning for you for years and suddenly think ‘he is the one’ after been dumped by your ex. I like that Elo refused to settle for leftovers of ‘wild oat sowing’ and picked a girl who chose him even though he still has feelings for Fiyin; else the kiss won’t fly. I think it was also wise he kept it secret till it matured.
Veteran actors deliver the best performances by far. Shaffy Bello as Gbemi is a woman with a quiet courage and strength who is still looking out for her daughter even while she wants to pursue her own happiness. Her eyes are filled with experience, and she seems to have come across every type of man under the sun. When Zach woos her, she wears a wide smile, but those eyes belie her interest; it is clear she can see through his bullshit.
Her character wanted stability underneath liking Zach’s lyrics. I initially read her character as wanting the ‘freedom’ of singlehood’ while having the attention of multiple men. But again, Wale wasn’t going to play that game. I love lovers who have self-respect/ dignity and know when to say ‘I love you, I love myself and I will not be toyed with, so I pull back till you have sense or just it is moving.
I loved some scenes though: when Gbemi properly addresses Zach & puts him in his place; she is not his plaything. As smooth as he was, he just fluffs underneath the mask. I loved that the movie addressed that. It is easy to get carried away with the grand gestures in a world that encourages women to ‘judge men by that’. Zach is ‘unbackable’.
Richard Mofe-Damijo plays Zach as the kind of guy who has not learnt how to take no for an answer where a woman’s affection is concerned. In this game of love, chest-thumping will not cut it– only honesty and vulnerability. His birthday party scene that ended with him kissing Gbemi was screaming luscious.
Wale Ojo shines as Toye, a character who’s dynamic with Gbemi I’d have loved to see more of; he’s kind, respectful, and dares to wear his heart on his sleeve. All three elevate this story and give weight to some of its emotional beats.
All three elevate this story and give weight to some of its emotional beats.
Ivie and Ajani’s love story differed from the two love triangles dominating the screenplay. Theirs was the typical rich girl, not-so-rich-boy romance, an unlikely union of two souls from vastly different walks of life.
Ladipoe (Ajani) initially struggled to get his chemistry going with Ivie but gradually grew into it as the movie progressed. While his performance wasn’t the best, it was still more convincing than Elo’s.
Never convinced he was falling for Ivie. Aladese tries but the writing does her little favor. Fiyin’s best moments are shared with her mother. Their dynamic is so believable, and the scenes are so well-constructed that I found myself wishing we’d gotten more of that instead. Apart from a few extras who almost screech the film to a halt with their line delivery, everyone else is fine
The multiple storylines present a challenge and for the film to really hit a home run, the writing must make the audience care about the characters equally. Elozena family lost their daughter 3yrs ago on Christmas day due to a traffic accident and stopped celebrating Christmas.
The theme about grief and how it affects families during the festive period when everyone is supposed to be together feels out of place because we did not get any flashbacks on the bond the family shared when they were complete which made it difficult to sympathize with them.
My favorite character was Elo’s joyful dad (Ejike Asiegbu). Man was cool. Not forgetting Ebere Okaro as Elo’s mum who almost made, we the viewers shed a few tears.
Despite its misses, Christmas in Lagos will still be numbered among the upper echelon of Nollywood films. If it had featured one more musical sequence, I would have tagged it a Christmas musical and called it a day.
Are there aspects of that work? Sure. The film has glamour in spades. The costume as well as production design departments clearly put their best foot forward. And the cinematography captures the characters and locations in stirring close-ups and dazzling wide shots. In the scene where Ivie and Ajani are “feeling” each other, the camera swirls softly around them and employs a shallow depth of field to blur out the background; it’s almost as if in that moment, as far as they are concerned, they are the only two people in the world. This is a feeling that anyone who’s been in love understands all too well. Unfortunately, such moments of storytelling brilliance at Christmas in Lagos are often dragged down by clunky, unnatural-sounding dialogue.
The score, set designs, and soundtrack are high points in the film; whether it’s Waje putting her own spin on the famous, O Holy Night, Adekunle Gold doing the same with one of King Sunny Ade’s classics, or Esua giving a beautiful rendition of Fall in Love by D’Banj, It was also nice to hear tracks Bright Chimezie, Ayra Starr, and even the much-derided Portable in this movie. these moments represent how beautiful and masterful the entire film could have been if more care had been taken with the characters and plot.
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