(+SYNOPSIS) MOVIE REVIEW: YOUR EXCELLENCY “WHAT DID YOU SCORE THIS MOVIE?” HERE IS MINE..
Again I found myself watching this movie because I love the movie “Your Excellency!
“Your Excellency” is one movie I can’t just love the less! I love the screenplay; kudos to the brain behind that. Although, I might fault the scriptwriter for using day scenes only in this movie. I can’t categorically point out any night scene in the movie; which doesn’t show professionalism for a movie that lasted for about 2 hours. While scripting a movie, there must be day and night scenes. And if there was any night scene; I am sure it was inconspicuous, perhaps there was no meaningful activity to accompany the night scene. But if you have a contrary opinion; kindly let us know via the comment box.
Infact, mo (I) love all the facial expressions of the actors
ABOUT THE MOVIE “YOUR EXCELLENCY”
Find out more about this intriguing movie here…
Why I would score this movie 8/10
- They highlighted the qualities of a true leader which is embedded in Lekan Ajadi
- Shows what is entailed in politics and how people go about it
- They brought out the importance of couple communication: We saw the good communication employed between Kemi and Lekan Ajadi. He always told her things before taking any step. He always lets her know about his movements. In this way, Kemi knows where the husband would be and knows where to locate him. This was evident @ the 23 minutes 40 seconds of the movie when Kemi Ajadi told blogger-Stephanie (Acted by Toni Tones) the movement of her husband; it really synced or tallied with what the husband was doing and where he was at that moment. She said the husband would first of all go for an interview and then head to a chicken joint which really happened. Hence, they helped strengthen communication among couples.
- They brought out the importance of seeking people’s opinions when taking decision: When Lekan Ajadi met with the leader of Democratic Action Congress Party (DAC)- Mallam Ali (Acted by Kunle Coker). He told Lekan to join their party, but Lekan said he needs to discuss with his wife and partner before taking a decision.
- They brought out the importance of team work
- I love their publicity and media reach. Whoever edited that Instagram page- Kachi’sCandy @kachi’scandy really tried. I looked it up on Instagram, but there is actually no page with the name Kachy’s Candy. I think someone‘s account was edited. So whose? Nice!
- I also noticed that most of the social media accounts they used for publicity do not actually exist[ and if they do exist, the owners have no link or correlation with the actors and makers of this movie. For instance @Olalekanajadi @pastorleke @laideajadi “Oh Snap Stephanie page” @michaelshade, @itsstephanie @yemiajadi @tolukoka @aconcernedcitizen @tolubamtobi @naijaloyalist @dennistheguy @thekachi @fredaajayi @mimidaniels @michaelshade @johnnewman @sexycat69 and so on do not exist, and if they do, the accounts are owned by someone else, and not the movie makers or those in the movie. So, once again, I commend their publicity stunt. I commend their effort at the political campaign; the use of placards and t-shirts, social media, songs made the film look so real and enhanced the beauty of the movie. Shooting this movie would have really cost them a lot of money. I sincerely pray for a large ROI to ooze (Just like Funke Akindele had said) into their account from this movie.
There should be a sequel to this movie; here is what to expect!
- Michael Idehin (Acted by Deyemi Okanlawon) and Karen’s (Oreka Godis) growing attraction for each other.
- Lekan’s attempt to divorce Laide, but it would fail
- Who would be the first lady between Kemi or Laide Ajadi (Acted by Funke Akindele and Shaffy Bello)
- Laide would tarnish Kemi’s image and make her look like an illiterate; Kemi would be like Patience Jonathan.
- Would Lekan Ajadi keep to his promises of making his country great? Or would his party- DAC, ministers and those around him discourage him from doing that?
- There would be an attack by people from his party- Democratic Action Congress (DAC)
- There would be an attack from the party he left- Republican Party Nigeria (RPN)
- There would be an attack by other strong presidential contenders
MEANING OF SOME YORUBA WORDS USED
Igara– Pride; Oma ake: Naughty girl; Olori kolodo: Idiot or bald head
Olori agbon: Coconut head, strong head or used to emphasize stubbornbess; Ewo ni awada? Why making fun?
Pastors t’o gbaju gbaja: Pastors that have utmost faith and strength
- Why they missed out the point that Lekan Ajadi’s second wife – Kemi Ajadi did not believe in her husband also. Kemi mocked and insulted him at his back. She said he was contesting for fun. She called him crazy and even tagged his effort- 4years madness.
- The reality show- Kachy’sCandy doesn’t really explain much! Is it the daily lives of Kachy and Candy? If that’s what it is about, then we did not see much about their daily lives in the reality show. It, it is not detailed enough. In fact just like two or three scenes of their show; where they were in bed, and he did not act because he was not happy; the scene they wanted to act and she found out she was pregnant. There was always an interruption in each scene. It, however, started becoming more meaningful when Mimi joined and Candy started becoming moody with her husband’s closeness to her
- We don’t know if Pastor Leke (Acted by ‘Emma OMG’ Edunjobi) was a charlatan or not, or maybe he was a comedian or something else in the movie
- How come this Ajadi’s dance is not popular even after the release of this movie; I love the dance though, it is unique and funny.
- And how come that Kach’s song was not made popular after the release of this movie despite the fact that dance was created for the song
- When Kachy said “Hot pepper soup is sipped slowly; let him enjoy it” @ the 49 minutes of the movie; I expected him to have said it in Igbo. E for sink well and it is sweeter in the ears when said in Igbo. The igbo of that is “Nwayo nwayo ka e ji aracha ofe di oku”
Lekan: I prefer “Make Nigeria great again”; Fred: If by some miracle we won the election, Wont people ask us to keep to our promises; Lekan: Eh, are we planning not to keep the promises?
Lekan: What kind of pastor preaches in the beer parlour?; Fred: Some people should learn to keep their visions to their church.
Lekan to Kemi: You can even employ special assistant to give out the personal money I would give you; for money distribution.
Lekan to Michael: I hope that you are not lazy? (A mimic of President Buhari’s words when he called Nigerian Youths- Lazy)
Kemi: Let the glory of God ooze over me
Lekan and Kemi: The snake who swallowed money (A mimic of the female senator)
Kemi: Wear Agbada 1500 (Words from Terry G’s song)
Fred toEki: You are even a learner on your own program. If you were an apprentice, you should be fired…
Freda: I just finished a-7 day white fast @46 minutes; Kemi: Which one is that?
Freda: White fast is when you eat everything white and stay clean. Eat white fish with pounded yam and soup; everything must be white..
Kachy: Hot pepper soup is sipped slowly; let him enjoy it @49 minutes
Kemi to John: Who asked you? Olori kolodo! Go out, tan lori agbon @59 minutes
John: Let’s give them a new Ajadi story to follow. Let’s have a family portrait of the wives and children… @ 1 hour 7 minutes
Kemi: Why are you pluralizing wives….
Lekan: Abi you are mad ni? Infact, you must be mad
Laide: Now that you are serious about the election, it would be unchristian of me not to support you @ 1 hour 13 minutes
Kemi: How can I compete with Laide, how much English can I speak, the way she dresses, walks and carries herself.. @ 1 hour 17 minutes
When pastor Leke came to pray @1 hour 18 minutes in the Ajadi’s home
The skyscraper of blessings; collapse on Ajadi
The caterpillar of blessings; the caterpillar of winning, jam Ajadi
Overall rating for Your Excellency
- STRUCTURE: Good Beginning, Good Middle, Good Ending
- SOUND: Superb: The songs used are engaging and lead people properly into the movie. Chioce of songs build interest in viewers.
- COSTUMING: Superb
- DIALOGUE: Superb; witty, intelligent, interesting and informative.
- CHARACTERS: Familiar faces and new faces
- SCREEN PLAY: Good
- SHOTS: Bright shots
- LOCATION: The movie was shot in Nigeria
- REMARK: Very very interesting and worth your time and money. Don’t wait a second after reading this review to watch the movie. Oya; sharpily go watch am!
- RATE: 8/10
- DURATION: 2 hours
EBONY LIFE FILMS PRESENTS A FUNKE AKINDELO BELLO FILM
CAST AND CREW FOR YOUR EXCELLENCY
GUEST APPEARANCE: FOLARIN FALZ FALANA ACTED AS AK FAMZY; BEVERLY OSU ACTED AS SANDRA
ORIGINAL STORY IDEA: HEIDI UYS, MO ABUDU
STORY BY: HEIDI UYS, MO ABUDU, YINKA OGUN, FUNKE AKINDELE BELLO
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: YINKA OGUN
PRODUCER: ISIOMA OSAJE; ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: CYNTHIA OKPALA
DIRECTOR: FUNKE AKINDELE BELLO; FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: ISIOMA OSAJE