Film
Title:
My Baby
Starring:
Nkem Owoh, Patience Ozokwor, Florence Owata
Screenplay:
Ikenna Emma Aniekwe
Genre:
Comedy
Director:
Charles Inojie
Length:
2hrs 47min.
Reviewer: Uloma
Ibegbulam
This
movie is absolutely hilarious. It gets you laughing from the
beginning to the end. The humour comes from the actors’
peculiar interpretation and portrayals of their various
characters to tell a rather commonplace story about the
age-old norm associated to the importance of the male child
amongst the Igbos in Nigeria.
Ufelle
(Nkem Owoh) has 2 wives; Comfort (Florence Owanta) and Maria
(Patience Ozokwor), and they both bear him 4 daughters each.
This situation is very worrying for Ufelle, because being
the only surviving male child of his father, he needs to
bear a male child to continue his lineage. He goes ahead to
take a third wife Ayo, whom he believes has the “natural
ability” to bear male children, simply because she already
has two boys from her previous marriage.
The story
unfolds with the usual altercations and problems that is
common in a typical polygamous setting. The dialogue is
consistently humorous, and all the characters are properly
developed. I am particularly pleased to see that each of the
8 daughters has her distinguishing characteristics and the
actresses do a good job at portraying these diverse
characters; especially Ogadi (Chizoba Osakwe),who puts in a
sterling performance. This, I must commend; because it is
often difficult in a film with a large cast, to successfully
delineate as many as 8 characters of the same gender,
particularly in a comedy. The character is either lost
during the development of the dialogue or in the ability of
the director to exhibit them adequately and convincingly.
Another
intriguing aspect of the film for me is the ability of the
screenwriter to blend the three major ethnic dialects in
Nigeria: Igbo,Hausa,and Yoruba, into a smooth and coherent
flow in the dialogue. Though the primary language of the
film is English, the momentary infusions of the different
dialects are sub-titled clearly and precisely. However it
must be noted that the appeal would lean more to the Igbo
speaking audiences who can instantly translate most of the
funny interjections and mannerisms employed by the actors.
All other
aspects; Location, Costumes, Dialogue, Music and the general
mood of the film are in sync with the socio–economic
situations and tone depicted in the film. And for a change,
I have no issues with the makeup; all the characters are
rural in their appearance and carriage.
Suffice
it to say that Nkem Owoh, is a natural at comedy. To the
trained eye, the entire film is held together by his
brilliant ability to make the character Ufelle as engaging
and as humorous as he could ever be; and to the ordinary
eye, he is very very good.
This film
is a must watch for strung-up nerves. It will have you in
stitches in no time.
Rating:****
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