Film Title: *BATTLE ON BUKA STREET*
*Catching cruise on the street of Nollywood*
*_The Film?*_
BOBS is a story of polygamy gone wrong in a multi-cultural and multi-tribal family. The process gives birth to near death rivalry, hatred, confrontations and complete breakdown of law and order.
*_Genre?_*
BOBS is a concoction of comedy, drama and tragedy. But in sum, BOBS is a slapstick/aggressive humour film. You remember Tom and Jerry?
*_Story?_*
Relatable story. It is the real reflection of a typical Naija experience that is not always projected. As a local breed, I can easily picture the representations.
Though, the screenwriter seems to pay more attention to blocking questionable holes in the story, than ensuring audience flow. That raises questions on the story arc and weak resolution.
Many sub-plots without roots jammed and rammed into one.
Imagine you are cooking a stew for your in-laws who have come from different parts of the world for Xmas festival. You have all the quality ingredients and more. You have all the best support staff in the kitchen.
As you start to cook to impress your in-laws, some ghommids and gnomes start whispering instructions into your head:
*Ghommids* : Hey, add plenty sugar inside the soup. They won’t ask why?
*Iya Ibeji* : Ah, are you sure? What if it is too sweet?
*Gnomes* : Pour plenty energy drink and skunk into the soup, it goes well with sugar and your in-laws will like it. It will pump their adrenaline.
*Iya Ibeji* : Oooose baddest! O gbasky jor!
But, what do you think if I sprinkle some alabukun and Colorado to make it fanimorous?
*Ghommids|Gnomes* : Ori e pe! Yea, yea, perfect combo.
Dem must like the delicacy.
It works in egusi soup(Omo Ghetto- The Saga), it will work for this too.
A case of too much cooks spoil the broth?
The film just dey play with different stories that are struggling to morph into one hundred and forty two minutes of screen time.
How realistic is the conflict? The family war?
Needless competition?
Over heightened rivalry?
How real is the execution of conflict? Locking up a grandma; planting cockroaches in already served foods; infesting shop with rats; blowing up shop with explosives?
Hian!
They are as pedestrian as they are overplayed.
Why jail break?
Why are the jail breakers tormenting Otanwa Community?
Why are security agents unable to contain and curtail them, days after?
Prince that is killed and leads to awaiting trial, how did he get to that room?
Can a man/husband easily give in to a murder case like that? As in murder o. This very love is made in heaven sha.
The unruly behaviour of the children, especially Kaiso and Kaira is not presentable in a family film.
Using the Hausa guy (Sanni Danja) to ferry a fugitive is not just a misnomer but a wrong representation of the Hausa folks. To know that a fugitive even escape in the film at the end is worrisome. Regardless of the “awaiting trial” narrative, no sentiment can valorize a jail breaker/breaking.
*_Sound Design, Theme Music and Foley?_*
I love the theme music. The sound design is not bad too. But a good Foley could have given the story some elements of realism.
In the same vein, Naija films are still struggling with lip syncing even with all the emerging technologies. All the songs performed by Ademide are like merging 25fps with 23fps without adjustment. Unah fit do better o. Most of the songs used enhance the scenery though.
*_Director’s Signature?*_
The blockings are not bad, but at a point, it is becoming, obvious, rowdy and uncoordinated. I know the directors are trynna prove that the customers come, eat and leave en masse. I guess the post production didn’t manage that part very well.
The major signature here is the energy and street that are synonymous with Funke Akindele’s films.
*Dialogue?*
Yea, the code mixing and code switching make me feel relaxed.
I can remember few lines, not because they are funny or unique, but because they complement the acting. E.g, my ‘pocket die’, ‘I have egusi and gari’, etc
Aside that, despite the setting, most of the lingos are recycled.
*_Character and characterisation.*_
Ifunayan, Ademide, Kaiso and Kaira, Akenzo, Ezinne, Olansile and Awele deserve a special toast for their role interpretations. As usual, Mercy Johnson (Awele) is going out of character, but ‘Aboki’ help to realistically tone down her excesses.
Funke Akindele (Yejide) is over acting and giving too much, I guess because she is also directing. Sitting in front of the monitor could have helped to see the self consciousness.
Femi Jacobs (Olansile) didn’t do badly.
Sola Sobowale (Asake) is just the usual stereotyped character. Nothing new. Funke’s natural idiosyncrasies are all over her mother.
Nkem Owoh (Maduka) didn’t bring anything new to the table, though calmer. The younger Maduka is more dramatic. Kelvin Ikeduba (Chukwuemeka) is also in his usual character- ruthless gangster.
Ezinne evolves as a character and attracts empathy.
Sigh, the directors as the benevolent dictators could do better on the characters – I am suspecting a table casting here too.
*_For culture?*_
The marriage scene is good, though killed with crisis. Same with the naming ceremony.
The vulgar language and the portrayal of teenagers sha!
*_Cinematography?*_
Cinematography is average. Good sound quality, especially exchanges in the crowd.
No creative lighting, all the scenes almost follow the same lighting pattern. In almost all the scenes, I was practically looking for light sources.
The shots are not bad. The traditional A,B,C or I,2,3 shots with few movements and drone shots- that’s not a sin. The editor didn’t speak with some shots, I am suspecting that the rushes are either not available or the editor is lazy.
*_Production design?_*
The ‘Buka Street’ is a bomb. The feel and mood are properly depicted. The costumes are elevating.
The make up too looks great.
But there are some continuity issues here, e.g,
Otanwa Community (80s) vs. Maduka’s Compound (90s)- both the directors and production designer have questions to answer.
Yejide’s hair and blue nails even after the market ‘crazy fight’. Olansile’s black to grey hair in less than 24hours, inconsistencies in the moustache of older Maduka, ABBL
I feel the connection between Awele and her dying mother.
Between Awele and Aboki- that chemistry no be here.
The introduction of the Hausa act is the masterstroke. Promoting the major tribes of Naija is a plus to BOBS.
I love that.
Between Awele and her children.
Between Olansile and his children.
The fight stunts at the market.
The fact that phone and betting are weapons of mass distractions among the youths.
ABBL
*_Lesson learnt?_*
Don’t fight with your eyes closed.
Abi, what else?
*POST SCRIPT*
That BOBS grossed N668,423,056 at the box office calls for a review of representation, reception and Naija audience’s taste buds.
I see bandwagon effects here and I think Nollywood needs to elevate their audience.
BOBS makes its audience, and not the other way.
BOBS is streaming on Amazon’s prime video, watch it and let’s have your takes.
Credit – Steven Anu Adesemoye
Recently she moved out of the country abroad to equip herself with more knowledge and exposure. Probably we should be looking forward to seeing her in the Hollywood big screen.
