MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Strangers’ takes you on a Cathartic Journey

Movie: Strangers   Director: Biodun Stephen

Written by: Anthony Eloka Year of release: 2022

Biodun Stephen had a rather eventful 2021 in the cinematic arena for Nollywood. Starting off with a very original and typical Biodun-Stephen’s work in ‘Breaded Life’ in April of last year, which was followed with the ‘Progressive Tailors’ Club’ collaboration with Anthill, and then the box office big name that was ‘Aki and Paw-Paw.’ And this prominent filmmaker looks to be heading for another eventful year in 2022, with ‘A Simple Lie,’ which dropped in late March, and now ‘Strangers,’ the emotionally uplifting motion picture.

Directed by Biodun Stephen, ‘Strangers’ is written by Anthony Eloka Ogbu, and recently screened ahead of its release in cinemas. It stars Lateef Adedimeji as Adetola, a character whose younger versions are portrayed by Daniel Bogunmbe and Mide Glover. Loosely based on a true story, this movie also features Bolaji Ogunmola, Bimbo Oshin, Chris Iheuwa, Christiana Oyesiji, and Peter Fatomilola, while Debby Felix and Femi Adebayo also appear.

‘Strangers’ can also be called a faith-based motion picture, and the description of a movie in that sense most certainly gives one an inkling of how events would end up. We may not know in what specific manner it would conclude, but we have a vague idea about its direction, and more often than not, there’s always a feel-good conclusion. The point of a faith-based movie, most times, is point that people deserve to have their faith rewarded, and ‘Strangers’ is, pun intended, no stranger to such resolution.

As such, it’s not so much about the destination with this movie as it is about the journey. At the very least, it’s about how the journey would define how the perception of the destination. And for ‘Strangers,’ the journey is set to be an emotional one.

However, the flaw with that is how this movie doesn’t quite maintain a lasting emotional foothold on situations. Moments that need to be emotionally dealt with, and need to last, don’t do so, and until its climax, much of the cathartic element of this movie is heavily shouldered by the acting, and not the film in itself. Individual moments that needed emotional life don’t get enough. It does employ a kind of aesthetic to back its sense of emotional release, with decent tone and great music, but something still feels lacking.

But if, in that regard, the movie’s writing deserves some criticism, the acting merits a ton of praise. From Lateef Adedimeji, and the other actors that play different versions of the character he portrays, especially Daniel Bogunmbe. From Bimbo Oshin to Bolaji Ogunmola, to Debby Felix; the acting hardly takes a foot wrong. And it’s not just with the hard-eyed seriousness and feel-good joyousness. It’s not just the emotional angle of it. It’s also the verbal and non-verbal aspects; from jumpy histrionics to depressed defeatism. From acting interaction that displays communication to one that portrays a lack of communication.

‘Strangers’ also does well to let the characters have their time on screen, while not taking the focus away from the central figure. This is a movie about humanity, the power of coincidence, and sheer goodwill. But this is as much a movie about Adetola; his ups, his downs, his flaws and strengths; about a boy with little dreams, and a man on the cusp of turning his back on the dream he cultivated and nurtured.

‘Strangers,’ as a faith-based movie, also does well to not convolute itself with mere religious inspiration, or any in truth. It’s easy to fall into that trap with movies of this ilk, but this movie doesn’t. Even the moments of inspiration that require little materialism don’t get sucked into any partisan religious mantra. It just is.

Much of ‘Strangers’ does read like a mini-faith-based (and less silky) version of Richard Linklater’s ‘Boyhood.’ The development of the main character might be a touch fast-tracked, but it’s there. The use of catharsis might be a bit underwhelming, but it’s visible. And if the movie’s drawbacks hamper the creative context, it doesn’t betray the wholesomeness of it all.

Culled from sodasandpopcorn.ng