DEJA VU: WHEN LOVE IS THE LAST RESORT(A REVIEW)

Deja Vu is a 2022 Gold Grinders Production streaming on Netflix. The story, which though in Yoruba language is subtitled in English, revolves around a Nigerian family trying to keep their marriage afloat amidst controversy over the paternity of their two kids.

Besides the fact the that picture quality of the movie reeks of low budget production, the movie holds her own well in other aspects of the production.

The film starts with an altercation between the said couple. They had just returned from the hospital with DNA test result and the man is livid over the result which says he is not the father of their kids. The wife keeps insisting that she has never cheated and that there must be a mistake in their findings.

One scene that warmed my heart so was the one where the lady’s mother was advising her to stay level headed, respectful to her husband and prayerful. I wish all mothers-in-law can be like her.

The theme of factors that cause dysfunction in families is elaborately explored in this movie. The same with the almost worship-like respect for elders that is synonymous with the Yoruba culture.

I was expecting proverb laden conversation lines but was disappointed. If Nigerians adopt the multiple script writers for a script style of film production like Hollywood does.

The way the writer went about trying to unknot what really is the problem with the DNA controversy family leaves much to be desired.

To start with, trying to prove that the medical science can be wrong twice does not speak well of the intent behind the movie as well as the attempt to make the under developed traditional religion a superior science to science itself.

Then the theme of somnambulism a.k.a Sleepwalking, is introduced. It is offered as the answer and it clears the writer of the accusation that he is anti-science. It presents traditional science as one that would give deeper answers to questions of our existentialism.

Yet, the way the story was not connecting the sleepwalking syndrome of Bimpe to the DNA result showing that her husband did not sire their two kids.

Salami’s wife is a serious case. Ahahahahaha. You really need to watch her part in the scene where the native doctor was telling them about the sleepwalk sex. I really enjoyed her part. Made me laugh so hard.

How they were able to exonerate the woman of any infidelity even though she actually had sex with another man, albeit while sleepwalking left me bamboozled. I quickly browsed if the claim that one can have sex while sleepwalking and it turned out that indeed, that is possible. One can have sex while sleep walking.

On whether past lives help to explain the present as depicted by the movie, it is left for the viewers to decide as it is a matter that belongs to the metaphysical realities.

I dare say that this movie did a great job of presenting the Yoruba traditional religion as one that seeks to blend with modern scientific realities. It is a science of sorts too as it works scientifically as well as mystically in diagnosing and solving life’s problems.

However plausible the argument of the Yoruba seer might seem, the movie still left it to the imaginations on whether indeed the efficacy of the native doctor’s prescriptions gets desired results or whether it is just mere hocus pocus.

I think the director of this movie, Elijah Rotimi did not do such a bad job at suspense and intrigues. The cast also carried themselves fairly well.

The movie ended with a big bang. The question of whether the ritual conducted by the native doctor that is meant to make the two families involved in this drama have their own biological children is left open ended.

By O’star Eze