By Amadi Chimaobi Kingsley
IF you’ve seen Tokunbo’, you’ll immediately notice striking similarities between the two in terms of plot structure and character arcs.
While ‘Tokunbo’ is on Netflix, Muri & Ko’ arrived on Prime Video earlier in the month.
Many would wonder if ‘Muri & Ko’ brings something fresh to the table or if it is merely another Nollywood production to avoid altogether.
‘Muri & Ko’ is about the story of Muri, a petty thief who upgraded from picking pockets to stealing car spare parts. One day, Muri steals a car with a little boy, Cole, in it, which is unknown to him.
Excited about the stolen car, he calls his friend and plans to sell it immediately. As he drives to the location, Cole wakes up in shock that the driver is not his grandma.
Cole’s grandma reports to the police, and the search for Cole is delayed until the detective sees Cole’s mother, Chidinma, his favorite reality TV show star, whom he claimed to use all his income to vote for. The detective immediately starts the process of finding the little boy.
As minutes passed, the tense relationship began to straighten up. They resolved their differences and decided to make peace. Muri, who was doing everything to escape the police, showed Cole some kindness as their bond strengthened.
After a few hours of searching for Cole with no positive outcome, Cole’s parents offer N10 Million cash prize to anyone who finds their son. Muri eventually escapes the police until he gets to the buyer, a notorious thug who plots to kill him without paying for the car and kidnap Cole.
Luckily, Cole saves Muri from being killed by the thugs. The two escape from the thugs until Muri returns Cole to the police station.
Also, there’s no proper motivation for Muri not to have found a nice environment to drop Cole off or even abandon both the car and the boy as soon as he recognizes the stakes, allowing him to escape with no consequences. In essence, details and actions that would develop their motivations and justify their actions are not built into the plot. While they become a duo, the premise for their bonding does not hold sufficiently as the characters’ personas do not grow to match their actions.
Seeing this movie makes it feel like Nollywood has run out of ideas entirely, and everybody wants to put out movies without taking the time to develop and execute the story.
Although the plot is quite simple, they did a poor job with the storyline; for instance, Cole’s grandma forgot her grandson and was instead crying over a missing car. Just because the detective has an eye for Chidinma, he immediately suspects Banji, her baby daddy, of kidnapping the son.
For a boring story like this, it would have been great if it had at least made the audience laugh aloud. Instead, 15 minutes into the movie, the urge to fast-forward came in strong, mainly when predicting the entire storyline.
Aside from Remi, the other actors’ performances were below expectations even though they are recognized as good actors. The child actor Asenuga, who played Cole, would have been allowed to explore emotions of shock, anxiety, and fear before bonding with Muri.
The recurring motif of his serenade to his girlfriend, Shalewa ‘Shay Baby’ (played by Bukunmi ‘Kie Kie’ Adeaga-Ilori), serves as a narrative device to underscore the humor and affection in their relationship albeit, not the focus of the story. Their dynamic, characterized by playful banter and mutual affection, is brought to life through their convincing performances. The scene where Muri sings to Shay Baby is particularly humorous, showcasing the actors’ comedic prowess.
We also have Charles Okocha, who portrays the stoic character Chukwudi with remarkable simplicity and physical embodiment. His understated performance is elevated by the humorous use of sound effects, making his character memorable.
The film also features strong performances from the supporting cast. Femi Jacobs plays a detective with a soft spot for Cole’s celebrity mother, DD, portrayed by Bisola Aiyeola. Bucci Franklin shines as Cole’s absentee father and aspiring artist, Banji Adams. The cast is further enriched by Adediwura BlarkGold, Gloria Anozie-Young, and Emem Ufot, each delivering notable performances that contribute to the film’s overall appeal.
The film used a technique where some characters spoke Igbo, and the subtitle merely read “speaking Igbo.” We’re curious to know what they’re talking about (non-Igbo speakers) While this initially appeared to be a subtitle error, it was a deliberate creative choice to build suspense.
amplified the comedy, “Muri and Ko” also sprinkled in some well-timed physical comedy that added an extra layer of charm to the genre. The catchy “Ele muri, agba picker…” song was both funny and unforgettable.
They were particularly memorable, echoing in viewers’ minds after the credits rolled. Its popularity even spilled over onto social media, where users created content featuring the song, inadvertently boosting the film’s publicity.
Moreover, the film’s treatment of serious situations, such as kidnapping and theft, was quite questionable. These moments were used more as anecdotes for laughter rather than conveying their gravity. While the film’s tone made it clear not to take things too seriously, the lack of severity, even after minimal consequences, is not unnoticeable.
This approach still underscores the film’s commitment to comedy, even at the expense of addressing serious issues with the expected gravity. That’s satirical.
One notable aspect of the film was the performance during the end credits, which successfully kept audiences in their seats. Typically, viewers leave once the credits roll, but this engaging and funny performance encouraged them to stay and learn about the people behind the scenes.
Lastly, Muri and Ko is a 4/10 because it is a lighthearted comedy that excels in delivering laughs. The film’s creative choices, from editing and satirical hints, highlight how the filmmakers also had fun while creating it.
However, its treatment of serious themes is ironically funny, using these situations more for comedic effect than conveying their gravity. Additionally, technical oversights, such as on-screen text errors, slightly mar the viewing experience.
Despite its few flaws,l Muri and Ko provides a refreshing break from reality with its offbeat humor and memorable performances
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