A First Look at Fifty

I could not find anyone to baby sit my daughter. So, I was going to give the Night out a miss. But I knew this is a day I sorely needed. Plus after watching the preview of the movie, I wanted to see the entire movie. It looked like it would make interesting watching. 

At about 30 minutes to go, I decided I'd ask my neighbor if she could watch Lil Miss and she agreed right away. I restrained myself from shouting Halleluyah and called my friend  to firm up plans. The plan remained loose pretty much, right up to when we decided a meal would be great before the movie. We got tickets and settled for turkey and chips at the lovely Bamboo Towers . It's still a super duper meal on a budget. As we returned to the venue of the movie, we espied two other friends and thus began a fun evening. 

As I approached the ticket agent at the entrance, I saw a student who giggled at seeing me and I attempted to glare. Thing is, I do not encourage a lot of fraternization with my students. I have found that a certain deference is necessary for students to benefit from your every attempt to cure their ignorance. I'd rather a kind heart recognized years later than the kind of familiarity that emboldens some of these students to request waivers cos of a perceived relationship. It has worked for me and I make bold to say until a new direction occurs by revelation, I aint fixing what aint broke. 

Anyway, I digress. This is sha how these 'four over-forty and not yet fifty but chomping at that bit' ladies went in to see the show. Sebi you know women? 'I want the aisle seat, I want the aisle seat' rent the air as we took our seats. I skipped the drama that occurred while we got pop-corn. Let's just say, we owned that space for the time we were there and no, we did not take the selfie stick that was bundled with snacks and yours truly showed off her selfie skills sans selfie stick.

Be my judge.

And then it began, a feast of the familiar sights and sounds (of Lagos!) and a delicious delivery of NIGERIAN women acting and no faux accents or affectations (I lurve that word!). We saw a bevy (does four qualify as a.....nvm) of beautiful women owning the narrative about relationships and life. This movie centers around four women all different and all dealing with different issues in the personal, work and relationship facets of their lives. 

We see ourselves in each of these women or maybe I should redact that as I see myself at different times in my life journey as each of them. True relatable stories told succintly and the interwovenness of their stories is so simple and so delicious that you almost forget they are you. I loved the outfits, the sets and most of all, I heard NIGERIAN English!!!

This for me is one of the things that most endears this movie to me. The actresses were not forming Jand/Yukay or Ame accents and still established their well read and travelledness and managed to entertain. The sex scene was bold and beautiful and whoever wrote the story deserves several pats on the back. The plot twists were on point and while I realise I am gushing, I am just so excited to see that a great Nigerian movie is possible (er, apologies, Nollywood).

The cast was pretty great and the four leading ladies did well in not overshadowing their co-actors. I loved the plot twist at the end and the authenticity of every scene. My favourite scene has to be the one where Miriam goes to Elizabeth at work to clarify their friendship. Mayhaps for reasons that I am unwilling to disclose.

On the whole. Loved it! Loved it!! Loved it!!!

Do yourself a favour. Go and see this movie. It IS well worth it!

PS- I need to apologize on behalf of my friends to all who watched at Ventura Mall on 18th December at 18:55. Yes, I am sorry you sat through this lovely movie with us girls who whooped and yelled and enjoyed ourselves so much that we enhanced your enjoyment of the aforementioned movie. We even busted some moves. Shameless women watching their mates and disturbing their children's age mates! Bless!