MOTHERHOOD: BALANCE OVER CHAOS

(A Movie Review)

Directed by: Great Valentino Edochie

Released on: November 28

Language: English

Stream Site: IbakaTV

Inside Nollywood Rating: 3.5/5

The one who got away has to be one of the most interesting series we have had around Nollywood in a while. With an outstanding storyline, and amazing cast, the directors deserves every accolades and every credit it got.

The story revolves around Reneka Williams, a widow who raised her three  children up to adulthood through her fabrics business. She successfully raised and trained her kids through school and with all being graduates save the youngest, her friend, Cheta played by Uche Jumbo, convinced her to get back to the dating pool, and try it once again.

Reluctantly, she agreed and went for her first date which was a disaster because her children begrudgingly ruined the date with incessant calls leaving the mother panicky and finding her way home as soon as possible cutting her date short and losing a suitor.

Will the mother pick her need to date over her children’s or will she strike a balance? Time told the tale. The children kept sabotaging the dates or meetings when they could, forcing the mother to hide the relationship. This worked till they found out, they lovingly convinced her to bring her date (Deyemi Okalawon) home and there they sabotaged the second relationship.

Single and tired of giving silent treatments, she called for a meeting telling them to let her be with who she wants. She learnt to strike a balance and take her children alongside her in her journey of finding love which proved rewarding as it saved her from marrying Frederick, her classmate turned fraudster. While showing us the importance of communications and discussions over hiding or bullying kids to submissions. The movie ended with the mom accepting to  dating someone the kids love and accept.

The Review:

The one who got away is a great movie with a great storyline. It went away from the conventional love or chaotic story we have in everyday Nollywood movies, it  tells the story single mothers have to go through in the dating market while portraying the challenges a mother has to face while thinking of joining the dating market. The movie is as real as can be and the director, Great Valentine Edochie, did an exceptional job in bringing this to life.

Beginning with the sisters in a light-hearted conversation and transitioning to a mother scolding the kids for not helping in the kitchen shows a great kick off and true representation of a Nigerian home.

The casting was great, we can’t imagine noany other actor who would have portrayed those roles better. Reneka Williams (Chioma Akpotha) seamlessly played her role portraying an  accomplished Mom who successfully raised her kids well and knew when to call them to order, correct, love and simply enjoyed the process together with them which was satisfying to watch.

The three kids played by Esosa Bernard, Prince Williams and Shared Bolanle ate the role exceptionally well. Watching Yomi depicting the typical African First son and portraying musculinity and Man of the house is just too relatable and true that the Nigerian spice could not be missed. His bluntness and intense need to protect or call everyone to other got him in trouble  with his mom who never failed at any interval to remind his place or what must be done.

 Esosa Bernard playing Simi showed us the life of the first daughter at a glance. A great bully, Perfect mom helper, and support system is something we see everyday. And she alongside Yomi ate their roles and presented nothing short of excellence and uniqueness. Their cooperation was enviable and  was simply satisfying to watch.

The entire cast was properly selected with the crew knowing just who fit perfectly into every role. This in turn made representation of the story by each character easy and perfectly role fitting.

The movie cinematography was to a large extent nice, we will use nice because the camera wasn’t all too clear, some blurriness were seen at some point in the movie, especially scenes that were shot from a a,distance. Voice and sound effects were not spared and these put together produced what would have  otherwise been a great movie with impeccable quality.

The movie is one I would recommend to anyone interested in seeing a lovely movie sharing nothing short of lessons and processes of how a single mom navigated love and motherhood without leaving one behind.

By Miracle Marcus