Movie: Finding Hubby
Reviewer: Aishah Saleeman
Year: 2020
Director & Producer: Femi D. Ogunsanwo
Executive Producer: Tunde Leye
‘Finding Hubby,’ is directed by Femi Ogunsanwo and is based on events from the blog of Tunde Leye, a Nigerian author.
The story revolves around three successful and cordial friends who are yet to get suitable suitors. The lead character Oyin Clegg (Ade Laoye) is a young and successful woman working for a Lagos-based firm. The firm denied her an opportunity to travel to New York, USA due to her unmarried status despite her remarkable achievement. The opportunity was passed to her married colleague as her boss assumed Oyin might abscond on getting to the States.
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Apparently, an unmarried lady had once abandoned the company when she was given the opportunity to travel overseas. Toke (Kehinde Bankole), her friend and fellow employee reminded her why the organisation had to be firm on her marital status and had to give the opening to a married colleague. Oyin took out the organisation’s management on the married colleague whom she said benefited from her unmarried status.
When fortuitously, she sees an opportunity for revenge, she gleefully takes it by attempting to ruin his marriage. Her quest to change her status ahead of future opportunities fuelled her desire for the perfect partner. In doing this, she was caught between the devil and the deep sea as her quest led her into undesired circumstances.
With ‘Finding Hubby,’ it is DeJa’Vu as peculiar to several Nollywood romance movies. The line, ‘If it looks too good to be true, then it is too good to be true was boringly repeated as the same could be said about the entire production.
This played out in a scene where Oyin ran into her ex-lover, Ade (Efa Iwara). Running into him, he showed up as a successful and internationally recognized writer. They agreed to pick up and in the course of the relationship, she was the happiest. Unknown to her that the man just wanted revenge, he invited her to a special dinner. She expected an engagement dinner but it dawned on her that she was being played as he accused her of being a gold digger and walked out on the relationship. Oyin was devastated, and betrayed as her dreams were shattered. But she remained unresolved in her determination to upgrade her marital status.
There also seems to be a visual effect flaw in a flashback scene where Oyin and Ade were shown not to have aged despite the ten years difference.
‘Finding Hubby’ seems to move too fast. This is where its compression of broad events comes in. Ossy (Charles Etubiebi) is hung up on Oyin but proposes to Gloria (Munachi Abii) two weeks later. ‘Finding Hubby’ moves at a pace that is unnecessary and falls short of supporting it. Because it was so light-hearted, it could afford to go more slowly, but the rapid tempo of events is a disadvantage.
The movie has a lot to say, and it did not allow viewers to understand and blend with all the characters. Yomi Kester-Jacobs, Oyin’s definition of Mr Perfect, is the prize that Oyin wants, but we did not even see any of his background stories. He also does not look as financially stable as we were made to believe. It is almost an anti-climax.
The movie ended with Oyin Clegg confused and asking the viewer what she should do after finding out the man she married wasn’t what she expected setting the stage for a sequel. ‘Finding Hubby’ has the right mix of comedy, romance, and dreamy aspirations and it is available on Netflix.
Cast: Ade Laoye, Munachi Abii, Kehinde Bankole, Tina Mba, Tope Tedela, Paul Utomi, Efa Iwara, Omowunmi Dada, Teniola Aladese, Omobola Akinde, David A. Apemiye, Samuel Asa’ah, Folarin Bankole, Demi Banwo, Sammy Eddy, Oludara Egerton-Shyngle, Charles Etubiebi, Maryann Eziekwe, Chris Isibor, Ogunji Tolulope Joy, Elma Mbadiwe and others.
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