Nollywood Movie Review: Fifty

Screenwriters: Bola Agbaje, Kemi Adesoye and Biyi Bandele

Editor: Matthew Bate

Cinematographer: Malcom John McClean

Soundtrack/Score: Ben Onono

Producer: Tope Oshin-Ogun

Executive Producer: Mo Abudu

Director: Biyi Bandele

                      Cast:
               Iretiola Doyle
               Omoni Oboli
               Nse Ikpe Etim
       Dakore Egbuson-Akande
                  Wale Ojo
               Kachi Nnochiri
            Emmanuel Ikubese
                Uzor Osimkpa
               Timini Egbuson

Production Studio: EbonyLife Films

Distribution Coy: Film One Distribution

Release date: 18th December, 2015

Country: Nigeria

Language: English

                 SYNOPSIS
Four women's lives are x-rayed in one week; in one city -- Lagos. Their social status, sexuality and love life is put to test by series of events, as they are about to turn 50. They find themselves enmeshed in the intricacies of balancing their careers and family/love lives with indiscretions and excesses. Themes such as religion, sexuality, class, feminism, child abuse and moral values, are explored.

                     PLOT
Lizzy (Iretiola), is a successful but risque obstetrician, in her early 50's.

Tola (Dakore), is a successful (but a jerk of a) TV host from an elite family, who is about to turn 50.

Maria (Omoni), a successful but lovelorn business woman, who is also about to turn 50.

Kate (Nse), is a dutiful but super religious (church freak) events manager, in her early 50's.

                  *    *    *

Lizzy is in a sizzling romantic affair with a gigolo (Emmanuel).

Tola is unhappily married to Kunle (Wale).

Maria is heart brokenly single.

Kate is discontently married to Chike (Kachi).

                   *   *   *

Lizzy's daughter (Uzor) works for Tola as her TV show's Production Manager.

Kate works with Tola, as her Events Manager.

Meanwhile Maria is a mutual friend to both Lizzy and Tola.

Whereas Tola is a mutual friend to both Lizzy and Kate.

Kate also happens to be friends with Kunle.

While Kunle and Chike are gambling buddies.

                     *   *   *

Lizzy is estranged by her daughter Shade (Uzor), due to a rift in the past.

Tola is at loggerheads with Kunle, due to her inability to deal with her inner demons.

Maria is having a fling with Kunle.

Kate is discontent with Chike's financial recklessness, and is also battling with cancer.

                     *   *   *

Lizzy's attempts to rebind her lost bond with Shade, fails....

Tola suspects Kate and Kunle are having an affair. She fires Kate from her job. After Lizzy's entreaties, Tola reinstates Kate....

Maria gets pregnant for Kunle. She divulges this to Lizzy, who in turn gushes about it to Kate.

Kate spews the tale on to Tola.

Tola kicks Kunle out of their home and he moves in with Kate and Chike.

                     *   *   *

Kate's late nights out due to church vigils, ticks Chike off. Kate eventually reveals to him that she has cancer. She consults her Pastor for help, only to get a disappointing response.

Tola's parents wade into the pregnancy issue, but only end up opening old wounds: Tola was raped by her father when she was in her teens and her mother did nothing to protect her.

Lizzy dumps her gigolo due to infidelity issues. She has a heated exchange...with Shade. Lizzy self-righteously judges Maria for betraying Tola.

                   *   *   *

Tola's supposed younger brother (Timini) turns out to be her son -- a product of the rape incident. This gives both of them some sort of closure.

Lizzy and her daughter eventually reconcile.

Maria doesn't abort her pregnancy, after all.

Kate accepts her fate as God's will.

                CRITIQUE
Fifty, to me is a movie which in its own right should spawn a new genre that I'd love to call: "Turnt Drama"!

I say so because, the movie to me was more like drama turned on its head. Seeing it was an exhilarating experience.

I have read other reviews, where they said Fifty was flawed; it was over hyped, and stuffs like that. Anyway, everyone has a right to their opinions about everything. My Naija peeps are very opinionated, after all. As for me, I enjoyed seeing Fifty.

(The Good)
The cast was awesome. Iretiola Doyle's character was quite a challenge, but she pulled it off with finesse.

Hmmm...Madam Dakore brought forward a manic side of her, that one rarely saw in most characters she'd played in the past. She was impressive.

Omoni Oboli's performance was brilliant as always.

Nse Ikpe Etim played Kate to perfection. It seemed like she drew some inspiration from her character in Bright Wonder Obasi's "Broken".

Wale Ojo just knows how to blend humour with the grim realities of life. He reminds me of Jide Kosoko. He was Kunle, thru and thru.

Kachi Nnochiri sure knows how to give off that "no wahala" vibe. He outdid himself this time. Cool acting from him.

Emmanuel Ikubese's acting has improved. I was shocked, though, to see him pull off those steamy scenes like a pro. Nice one!

Uzor Osimkpa brought back that sassy self of hers that was a regular feature in the "Edge of Paradise" series. Spot on performance from her.

Timini Egbuson, is gradually growing into a fine actor. I was quite impressed with his acting. 

I love the fact that songstress Waje, eclectic Nneka, sultry Tiwa Savage, maestro Femi Kuti and the legend himself King Sunny Ade, made special guest appearances. It was worth it. 

Now, to the crew:
The writer who came up with the concept for this story, is good.

The Cinematographer deserves an award for the great aerial shots he pulled off in this movie. The lighting was cool. The picture quality was great.

The Foley Artist and Sound Engineer, sabi their work wella! Kudos to them.

The Editor did a great job. No visible editing errors.

The Production designer was on point. Every scene had a clear-cut design style that reflected its mood and scenery; thus helping to move the story forward.

Biyi Bandele has once again has shown he has a knack for infusing much creativity in his craft; not just the film school stuff alone. Nice job behind the cameras!

(The Bad)
The screenwriters must have found it a bit challenging to chronicle the lives of four vibrant women, simultaneously.

At some point in the movie, I was a bit lost as to the continuity of some scenes. There was too much...happening in the lives of the women at the same time; as such I had to play catch up.

If only they had (from the start) chronicled each woman's life at the rate of at least four scenes per woman, before moving to the next woman's scene. That would have given the audience more grip on the plot.

However, it was more like chronicled at the rate of one or two scenes per woman, before switching to the next woman's scene. Which means, as the audience are trying to get a hang of what is going on in the life of one woman in just two scenes, another woman's life pops up the screen. And like an iteration, it goes on at the said rate till the fourth woman's scene is shown.

The problem is, by the time it goes back to the first woman's story and scene again, the audience would have been dazed. Thus causing the audience to forget most of the scenes.

However, the screenwriters made a few amends, by infusing a healthy dose of humour and drama, which helped to douse the "dazing effect" caused by the movie scenes' quick iterations. No movie is perfect anyway.

Fifty is still a great movie! Its quality is at par with the likes of Seyi Babatope's "... When Love happens".

(The Ugly)
This has to do with the locations used. I believe Fifty was trying to capture Lagos in an appealing light, not just Ikoyi and Lekki. Whatever happened to Ikeja?

Not one scene of the nerve-wracking traffic on the Island, was shown.
As preposterous as it sounds, traffic congestion has become an identity of Lagos. And if we must portray Lagos in any light at all (good or bad), the traffic situation must be present.

In all, I rate Fifty, 4 out of 5 stars. It is a feel good movie (not for kids tho). So I recommend that all ye movie buffs, should go see this one.