Lately, I’ve had this longing to see a Nollywood movie with a new, different, and unique storyline. One that is a departure from the cliche of 'boy meets girl, fall in love and all the hurdles, razzmatazz & hulabaloo in between!' And also 'poor, broke, wretched, suffering and later becoming rich' storylines.
I'm not very crazy about movies, and given how the home videos around here can get very predictable, I don't usually feel any excitement when I see them. It's usually just to pass time. I grabbed a cousin's laptop, and when I came across this film, I decided to just see it 'to pass time', and boy was I wowed. I wondered how this one did not get the publicity that it deserves .
Because this movie...this awesome movie “Strained,” gave me the thrill that i desire. It delivered that twist and fed my cravings over and beyond. The producers must have been taking notes of criticisms cause the suspense they created and how they seamlessly narrated the story embellished in smooth and raw acting skills brought on by ALL THE ACTORS is applaudable It was absolutely unpredictable!
Okay. Let's get into the review proper of this gem of a movie that shouldn't stay hidden. Check out the contest here if you may.
All right, let’s feast, shall we?
PLOT
With an estranged relationship between a mother and her daughter of over thirteen years, occasioned by domestic violence and the struggles of a new mother who also had to juggle work whilst on maternity leave, “Strained,” the movie, tells a story of trauma from past experiences of childhood, häte and forgiveness.
MY THOUGHTS
Like I mentioned earlier, all the actors brought on their A-game! The guy who played Ozo(Ebere’s husband), he is good. I was glad to see Padita Agu(Ebere’s friend) again. That lady is beautiful. Ebere’s diction is spot on. Even the little baby, oh my! The baby complied effortlessly! I loved the setting and the interior decor of the house. It was average and relatable, unlike the flashy ones from some other movies. I love the down-to-earth scenery.
And oh, the movie is so lesson packed. My goodness!
It is worthy of mention that some men also are victims of domestic violence, and society seems to pay little to no attention to this. Hence, the male folks tend to dïe in silence because of how the society would perceive or receive them if they speak up. Personally, I would have loved it more if the producers of this movie had considered balancing it out by adding a part that portrayed this. This way, it won’t appear like it is one-sided, somewhat “monsterlizing” the male folks. Be that as it may, these things happen.
Also, I didn’t quite appreciate how Adaeze Onuigbo, who played the young Ebere, was made to only appear in one scene (at the very beginning), like she was some sort of upcoming artist. I was hoping there would have been more scenes with her in it during the flashbacks, which again was just one scene. I guess she only signed for a cameo role in this movie.
I noticed the decoration in the scene where they brought the baby home for the first time after birth. It read “IT’S GIRL!” Instead of “IT’S A GIRL!” But I think I like that kind of mistake. It shows how imperfect we are and how we can omit things out of excitement. Cause, let’s face it, when her water broke, Ebere’s husband was almost going to take her to the hospital with him wearing only his boxers. The dude was all over the place.
One interesting and hilarious scene for me was when Ozo was urging his wife to go see her mother, and he said “Kanayo O. kanayo!” which was translated to mean “I am begging you!”
Before I conclude this, i must say that Queen Nwokoye deserves more than just her flowers. She deserves the full garden. She embodied her role unreservedly. In fact, she took it personally! Whattt!!! She was flawless in her interpretation. She naturally personified that role, and i would love to see more of this side of her. This calm, peaceful, and funny side.
Overall, this movie gave me chills! This is one movie that i have seen in wuite a while that had a unique storyline. It was an incredibly interesting one to watch. The emotions were intense; they were palpable! Excellent delivery!
And, i do hope that you're not waiting for the part where i write that i recommend this film. This review should do the telling enough.
I'm giving this film a 9/10
Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!