Those who have seen EbonyLife Film’s latest offering will find it easy to come up with 50 or more reasons to go see the movie titled Fifty. Long before the media premiere late last month, the hype had been on, and TheNiche can confirm that it has not been overrated. This is one film everyone should go see and here are 10 reasons why.
Cast
Anyone who sees Ireti Doyle (Elizabeth), Dakore Egbuson-Akande (Tola), Omoni Oboli (Maria) and Nse Ikpe-Etim (Kate) in this film will say that the roles were tailor-made for them. This is not just because they are very convincing; they also become their individual character. No one will forget Ireti Doyle in a hurry!
Crew
The crew includes Director Biyi Bandele (Half of a Yellow Sun), Director of Photography Malcolm McLean, Producer Tope Oshin Ogun and the Executive Producer Mo Abudu, who started EbonyLifeTV in 2013 and recently turned 50.
Acting
The four leading ladies are great in their roles, so are the supporting actors, most of them performers in their own right. They are not just convincing, they, too, connect with the audience.
Dialogue
The dialogue is equal parts brazen and soothing with statements like ‘I want items that scream class, how many times must I say it, money is not my problem but how to spend it’. ‘I don’t do little boys’. ‘Fifty is the new twenty-five’ and so on.
Lagos
This is one film that portrays Lagos in good light, so much that people are already saying that the film has a fifth major character which is the city of Lagos, particularly the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge that appears many more times than a lot of the supporting characters. Perhaps the film would have shown a bit more of the Mainland, too.
The story
The story is not just one that needs to be told; it is real and many of those who see the film can relate with it. What is more, the suspense and twists and turns are bound to keep anyone on the edge of the seat.
Cinematography
The shots and angles are to die for lending credence to excellent cinematography and crisp does not completely define the picture quality.
Music
The music is unforgettable, with notable musicians like King Sunny Ade, Femi Kuti, Nneka, Tiwa Savage and Waje not only lending their sonorous voices but also making an appearance. This must have cost an arm and a leg.
Humour
Although this is a long feature, almost two hours, it goes by very fast and this is largely because of the humour that locks in almost every statement and action.
Women
Fifty is one of the very few films from Nigeria that portray women in very good light. These four may have challenges, but they are strong women who are at the top of their careers and, most importantly, know what they want and how to get it.
