A Naija Christmas review…very straightforward plot
Year: 2021
Genre: Celebration, Romance, Comedy
Cast: Kunle Remi, Efa Iwara, Abayomi Alvin, Rachel Oniga, Segilola Ogidan, Ade Laoye, Linda Osifo, Carol King, Lateef Adedimeji, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, Uzoamaka Aniuhoh
Director: Kunle Afolayan
Writer: Kemi Adesoye
Cinematographer: Jonathan Kovel
Summary: “Whoever gets married first by Christmas time will inherit the family house!”. Challenged by their mother, three brothers are willing to try all the tricks to get the winning prize
Overall Rating: Beignets
A Naija Christmas was pretty straightforward, we could guess the end from the beginning; it was a feel-good watch
~Yours To Explore~
Delicious
—A beautifully selected cast. The love interests, Vera (Linda Osifo), Ajike (Segilola Ogidan), and Kaneng (Ade Laoye) brought a fresh look to the film.
Linda Osifo was a pleasant surprise being unapologetically fierce and assertive, she’s a hidden gem. Obi (one of the brothers) aced his role, he was so awkwardly hilarious with his stammering condition 😀 Deaconess Fakorede (Carol King) was elegantly stunning. The rest of the cast worked so hard to deliver a natural and genuine performance
—So, what happens when parents pressure their children to get married? CHAOS! That’s A Naija Christmas’s answer. We saw this firsthand with the eldest son, Ugo (Kunle Remi), who was going anywhere and calling anyone just to tie the knot. A Naija Christmas sent a signal to parents that certain norms have to change
—The director of photography and the color grading team produced quality images that blended with the festive mood of the film
—The art director transported us into each actor’s universe with a detailed decor
Bland
—Screenplay was ok, apart from the little twists, there wasn’t anything too gripping. The lines were rather cheesier than comic
—When you have a big celebrity like Mercy Johnson-Okojie (playing Mrs. Bliss), you expect her to have a significant role, which wasn’t the case. Hence, we started wondering why a regular actress couldn’t have played her role. The mother’s absence in major parts of the film weakened the storytelling
—Overall, Naija Christmas appeared more like an ‘American Christmas’ movie mostly due to the Christmasy score and flimsy scene sequences
Viewers’ Guide
Language
Trailer
Available on
(Audio: English; English Subtitles: Yes)
