Synopsis: A shy but skilled storyteller comes to blows with his best friend who tries to take credit for his tales and win the heart of the woman they both love.
The Griot: Cast
- Adedimeji Lateef
- Goodness Emmanuel
- Temiloluwa Fosudo
- Oladapo Gbadamosi
- Funsho Adeolu
- Adekunle Afod
- Yewande Adekoya
- Abiodun Kassim
- Sharon Jatto
- Toyin Oshinaike
The Griot: Crew
Director: Adeoluwa Owu
The Griot: Review
With a title like The Griot, I had very high expectations for this movie, but what I received was akin to a secondary school movie project. While the movie has a simple storyline that has massive unrealized potential, I was left totally unsatisfied with the execution of the conflict and its resolution. It starts out as a love story and abruptly switches to a tragedy at the end. Confusing.
Lateef as Lakunle is a good cast, but I think he holds back in this movie. Though he has the right portrayal for it, he is not 100 percent in this movie. The lead actress, Goodness, is a greenhorn who has great potential; I look forward to her growth. The story is not tight, and the dialogue is lacking.
We are not sure if the movie is set in a modern Yoruba village or an ancient one, because a lot of modernity is thrown into the mix with more historic details. For example, Iyemoja has a zip in her skirt, village maidens wear modern gowns, and glass cups, all of these while the money is cowries.
The whole fulcrum of the movie is to see Lakunle evolve from an imaginative but timid storyteller to someone with enough confidence with the help of Tiwa. When it is time to showcase this his transformation, the movie robs us of this scene, leaving us dissatisfied.
In a bid to make the movie a tragedy, we get extra scenes that are unnecessary, because nothing from the start of the movie points to it being a tragedy. The Griot is a wholly unsatisfactory movie. It is available to watch on Netflix.
Nollyrated Score: 1/5 (Poor Movie)
NollyRated uses a 5-level scoring system, as follows:
- Poor
- Sub Par
- Okay
- Great
- Outstanding
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Respectfully disagree with some of your negative assessment of this movie except for the abrupt tragic ending. I don’t mind the story ending on a happy or sad note, it’s just how they arrived at it.
However, I still rate this movie highly (4/5) because of the way it clearly portrays the Yoruba culture and mannerism. Reminds me a lot about my growing up. It’s refreshing to see another wonderful Nollywood movie not just showing Banana Island and VI like that is our culture and normal way of life.
I agree the movie could have done better in terms of the costume for the Mermaid, and sticking to a time in history. But we have similar mistakes in other Nigerian movies that we rate.
Exactly
The movie isn’t as bad as they rated it here ….yes there are areas they could have done better but it sure deserves more than 1/5 rating
You have a great sensibility to understand the ways of life and of our country back to our tribe. Someone like you can be one of the leaderships that if they were appointed they have the brain scopes agility and ways to control we Nigerians about what we want as a change in our country.
Because as a matter fact, mistakes we made in Nigeria is lack of understanding for consideration and manner of showing appreciations.
Truth be told every sensible knows that the film is not 100% correct because no one can be 100 perfect. We all made singularity or plurality mistakes, what do we do aftermath?
Nothing than move and go back to remember that Yoruba tribe proverb, says thus “Ina esisi kii joni lemeji “ that is “once bitten, twice shy“.
We continue from there. I’m sure the only reason this emotional interesting best of a long time that never been found lack out of this movie was just the ending of the movie because there should a judgement for ex Chief (Sanmi) that got evicted but back to do a planed evil with his 2 useless unserious and mannerless friend (Officer Woss) referred to as his comedy stage name and other friend, 3 unreasonable friends has to be punished severely maybe death justice.
More of being realistic and a joyful end it would be to see the lovely actress TIWA which is the reason for LAKUNLE’s boldness and energy behind his sudden change to who he really are, the poor girl gave the confidence, created a whole lots of time smiles positivity to boost up LAKUNLE’s moral strength he has lost because of his shyness to face the which is also common around us.
But with the poor girl she ought and deserves a more good life after all that good applauded work she did, the girl shouldn’t end her life like that because if we put this to reality like right these days and something of such happened, LAKUNLE might be traumatized or mentally deranged because Tiwa was the only source of his joy and happiness only with TIWA alone he can more confidential in himself to face the crowd so definitely if the girl died just like that then LAKUNLE has no more meaningful life to live everyday of his will be sad and sad more because of the emotions affections and divisions of what they shared, I mean the impact of TIWA wouldn’t let him breed every single minute of the years he sleeps and wakes every sunshine if he doesn’t end his himself to commit a suicide or mentally derange
But if any of these twofolds suggestions finally unfolded to happen then LAKUNLE’s father was seriously at stake too, so as TIWA’s parent has 80% of moving on because they have two beautiful daughters.
With my own side of view about the zip at the mermaid’s cloth and other modern things used including the conjunction and interjection of language.
That wasn’t Poor at all, they only trying to take us back to the olden days with a modern viewpoint of expression to experience, which is Great as it was Titled “The GRIOT” definitely means a Storyteller that leave an Oral lifetime. Look at the olden that’s when we have the storytellers not this century anymore, no one could gather people round under the tree at the dusk to tell a story the way the did in the olden ways, not even any of our olden grandparents.
And that’s exactly the fulcrum of taking us back to the old ways life in a sense for us to just presume this is the way they do, the way they talk and the language we understand.
That shouldn’t be fulcrum stand as a barrier for degrading the special super packed movie to be vicious or worthless to give 4/5 in today’s Film industry.
Kudos to the scriptwriter I salute the master brain behind it all, honest must be said sincerely, the whole of the movie from the start till where it stopped was a wowed moments to watch because some scenes were played along to the actor/actress line of action and perfection and I guess that brought officer Woos and others to play the role of comedy which is their area of perfection because we all know them to be a comedians and skit writers.
I bet, it’s a job well done and packaged just the end needs either summary note to explain or some more couple of scenes to show the expression to meet viewers expectations.
Nevertheless I must a big Kudos to the amazing person as the master planner and Co. that worked this together, it really worth it..
I give it up to the rate of 4/5
And lastly big shoutout to my hearted man your movies always geared my happiness from 0 to the last of my happiest ratio mode, that goes to “ #LATEEFOLADIMEJI” as LAKUNLE, best to be amazing for a perfect outfit of that precious talented little but glorious, loving damsel brown skin girl of a favorite girl of my desire that never disappointed me in any role she might have played from the movies I’ve ever watched, you all know who she is because her names speaks of her goodness and greatness “ #GOODNESSEMMANUEL” who is the reason for the movie as a great focused for the two friends SANMI AND LAKUNLE. She played the lead role as TIWA. So much goodness in her to pour. I love you girl. I pray for your more energy from heaven that you need to show the world of your stars, styles, wonders and awesomeness of God in your life to show the world the greatness in you.
I totally agree with you, I literally had a debate with someone while watching the movie about the timeline in which the movie was portrayed to have acted, the conversations where also very poor.
What broke the camel’s back for me was the summit of the movie when lakunle was supposed to finally display his transformed self and the scene was skipped, but we where made to go through several seemingly unnecessary scenes.
Overall I would rate the movie a 2/3
It’s really a job a well-done. I just watched it so much lesson to learn ….We all need someone someone to help us to be ourselves to actually help us in realizing our true path and not to be scared of taking chances …..This is not bad I give it 4/5….I really want to see the scriptwriter in more beautiful films….and Tiwa ….. Please don’t feel discouraged because of the reviews or criticisms…sieve the words and make the best out of it….I want to see more of your faces in films….God bless you all
Great movie. I would rate the movie a 9/10. Good acting and storyline… The movie needs more publicity than it’s getting.
For me I will rate it 3/5 was disappointed by the ending
I couldn’t agree more with your review. The movie exhibits poor outing from start to finish. The setting depicts lazy handling of time, place and story. And then, Lakunle; his flat and now stereotype ‘Igbo’ intonation he played with in other movies finds its way to The Griot. I rated the movie thumbs down after watching.
I really enjoyed this movie. I give it 7/ 10. The cinematography was excellent and the storyline robust (except the ending). The cast were refreshing in their execution of their roles.
However, I am quite disappointed with the ending which thoroughly dampened the story. Although there were signs that it might not end happily (eg changes in the score), I feel that it should have remained a love story and not a tragedy. So I would like to see a sequel showing the aftermath of Tiwa’s murder. I also want a happy ending for Lakunle.
Please how can i get the song tune of that movie
I like the movie and the story except the tragic ending even though it shows that not all stories ends with happy ever after even in real life. I had my eyes glued to the screen until it ended. I give it 4/5
I disagree with everyone as regards the ending, I love that it ended a tragedy. The story obviously point to a possible tragic end as no love triangle really ends well. A superb tragicomedy if I must say.
I so much love the movie. It gives a flashback on how we used to live and how important and valuable our culture was other than showing us movies acted on the islands.
I love the role “lateefadedimeji” named lakunle and “GoodnessEmmanuel” named Tiwa played it actually gave me a reminisce on how beautiful love was in the olden days not the ones we played now. Despite the fact that Tiwa never knew it was Lakunle behind Sanmi’s Victory, she still stood her ground, hoping Lakunle would still come professing his love to her. That’s is genuine love, not now a days where ladies goes for someone of high calibre. The movies actually geared me up and gave me more good reason to love regardless.
But the ending was a thumb down for me sincerely but I give it 4/5. Kudos to you guys and we all appreciated what you guys are passing on. Thanks