Set against the backdrop of Lagos, two best friends, Uche and Toyin, fall in love with Sunday, a charming, yet flawed eligible bachelor. A love triangle ensues with the women unaware that they are dating the same man.
A Sunday Affair: The Cast
- Oris Erhuero
- Nse Ikpe-Etim
- Dakore Egbuson-Akande
- Uzor Osimkpa
- Chris Iheuwa
- Alex Ekubo
- Hilda Dokubo
A Sunday Affair: The Crew
- Directed by: Walter Taylaur
- Written by: Darrel Bristow-Bovey
A Sunday Affair: The Review
The title makes you think the movie is a romcom, but no, it is a romantic drama with a touch of tragedy. As much as I like the unusual story-line, so many things distracted me from fully enjoying the movie, and I wish the execution of the movie was better.
First, the story-line is refreshing. It is not your regular Nigerian story. The wedding at the beginning of the story does not let us know what is coming, but it is a well-executed beach wedding. It is a night-time affair, too, which is unusual for Nigeria. I like the camera angles and some aerial shots of Lagos, though it shows the reality of our inadequate power supply; we could see some dark spots. I like the costumes.
However, there are holes in the story. A missing background story leaves us wondering how we get to a particular place. The wigs and makeup of the lead actors are atrocious and greatly distract from the movie, especially the close-up shots.
The time-lapse is confusing. In 2009, the girls were about 10 to 12-year-olds, but in the present day, they look more like they are in their late 40s. This does not align with the timelines; they appear more aged than the story portrays. Dakore and Nse are great actors, but their chemistry in this movie is not evident; it seems forced.
In a flashback, we see Uche being the one with successful parents and the big house, while Toyin is the poorer friend. We are not provided with the background of how Uche comes to depend on an abusive man to maintain her lifestyle, and Toyin is rich enough to pay for her gallery as a last act of friendship loyalty.
Dakore, as Toyin, seems too controlled in the role, like she is holding back from unleashing her full self. How does a cancer patient not show any evidence of going through chemotherapy. Where is the hair falling out? Where are the dark circles under the eyes and the darkened knuckles? These are basic outward signs of the damage chemotherapy does to the body. And how is she vomiting and her makeup is still on point?
Oris Erhuero appears to be a foreign import. This is the first time I was seeing him. He is a refreshing face, though if he is going to remain with Nollywood, he needs to pick up more nuances.
As much as I enjoy the unusual story-line, a story of romance, friendship, forgiveness, and loyalty, the execution of the story makes for an average movie, when it could have been a great one.
Nollyrated Score for A Sunday Affair
3/5 – Good Movie
NollyRated uses a 5-level scoring system, as follows:
- Poor
- Sub Par
- Okay/Good
- Great
- Outstanding
Join Our Tribe on Twitter: For updates on new Nollywood movies, series, reviews, cinema reviews, and Nigerian movie personalities, join our tribe on Twitter @NollyRated.
Now, this is accurate. …”We are not provided with the background of how Uche comes to depend on an abusive man to maintain her lifestyle…” I thought there’ll be an explanation for this and again, why will you say to man, you’re leaving the other married man for him and he still sticks by?
Very rare! Or I’m probably overthinking or something??
This movie is nothing more than a Nigerian version of the film Beaches starring Bette Midler. Copycats.