Merry Christmas from me to you and yours!
First of all, this movie is a loving tribute to Madam Rachael Oniga (Good job, Netflix!). She was such a delight to see in a comedic role, and I found myself smiling sheepishly anytime she was on screen. It is a pity that she is no more. Nollywood will miss her greatly.
Ok.
This movie is such a feel-good movie. I found myself caring for the characters and sharing their pain, joy, and wins. I mean, I wanted to smack them upside of Efa Iwara’s head and gossip to him about the girl who rejected his proposal ‘dude! This girl dey use you! She no love you! You no get sense? But seriously, is there any movie where Efa Iwara doesn’t have women's problems? He doesn’t cheat, and he is a perfectly cool guy. But everywhere he goes, trouble always finds him like Bridget Bema. Lol.
The story is very simple. Mama Agatha has three sons. She mandated them to bring home a potential love interest on or before Christmas day to guarantee at least one grandchild. In return? The first person to bring in a wife material will inherit the house. Her first son Ugo, a playboy who has his hands and neck-deep in debt, sees an opportunity to pay off his loan shark, who steals from him at every encounter. But serendipity makes him fall in love with a church girl.
The second boy, Obi, is torn between two girls. His best friend is secretly in love with him but is dating a guy who pushed her out of his house and seized her clothes and his girlfriend is using him to climb up the corporate ladder. He eventually had to make the difficult choice, and it paid in the end. But not with a lot of drama (and gbas gbos; so many people got slapped). And the third born, Chike, whom everybody thought was gay. (I know I thought he was gay), but we found out that the person calling him was… (let me just stop here abeg).
Seriously, go and see the movie.
One thing that this movie has going for it is the cast. It was a lovely cast, and it seemed that they were made for the roles they played. There is Rachael Oniga, Kunle Remi, Efa Iwara, Abayomi Alvin, Linda Osifo, Ade Laoye, Lateef Adedimeji, Caroline King, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, Efe Orhorha, Jude Chukwuka, Amuda Eko, Ishola Abiodun Thomas, Kent Edunjobi and the delectable Segilola Ogidan in her debut.
Casting Lateef Adedimeji as a bad boy has to be the best decision of this director. I mean, it was a jackpot but true to Lateef, he still cried hilarious Egbere tears in this movie. It was funny! And yes! There was a cameo by Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma in that really creative 12 Days of Christmas Yoruba carol. That was the best thing I heard this year. directed by Kune Afolayan who can never do wrong
I’m going to keep this review short. A Naija Christmas is a lovely movie that will keep you awwwning till the end. It is a true holiday movie. If you love Rom-coms, see it. If you don’t love Rom-coms also, see it all the same. At least your cynical self will be asked ‘Young man, declare your intention. We do not subscribe to hit and run here’.
Rating 8/10
