MOVIE REVIEW: Stan Nze’s ‘Iju Ese’ explores the cost of love in a tradition-bound society

MOVIE REVIEW: Stan Nze’s ‘Iju Ese’ explores the cost of love in a tradition-bound society

Screenplay: Rita Onwurah Amaka Chidoka

Iju Ese is an Igbo language film.

It follows the story of a beautiful young lady who keeps rejecting suitors because of her love and loyalty to Izu, her boyfriend, who has been in Germany for seven years.

Her mother is displeased with the situation and constantly pressures her to choose a husband from among her many suitors, preferably Ekene.

However, Amara defies her at every turn. She strongly believes in Izu’s constant reassurances that he will come home for her and so decides to maintain her relationship with him.

As promised, Izu eventually returns to Nigeria, to her great joy and her parents’ relief!

He gives her an engagement ring and waits to hear the next steps in his quest to marry her from her father.

In accordance with the Igbo tradition of ‘Iju ese’, which means ‘to investigate’, Amara’s father, Obinze, instructs his brother to make arrangements for people who will journey to Izu’s village to carry out a thorough investigation into his lineage on their behalf.

They are to enquire about the character of the members of his family, check whether they have any hereditary ailments, whether they are criminal inclined, whether they are Osu, and so on.

Unfortunately, some shocking secrets about his family are discovered. Quickly, the Obinze’s withdraw their consent, throwing Izu and Amarachi into confusion. As Amarachi struggles to come to terms with her parents’ change of mind, she discovers that she is pregnant.

This throws up a dilemma. Should the wedding ceremony go on? What will people say about the pregnancy, considering their high standing in church and society? What will be the fate of the unborn baby?

Stan Nze (Ikemefuna) takes on yet another Igbo-language movie with this role. He is excellent as Izu, the sweet-talking suitor and lover boy.

His love interest, Amara, Ifeoma Obinwa( Better Half), fits seamlessly into her role. She embodies charming yet intriguing.

Amarachi’s mother, Nneka Obinze, played by Ngozi Echems Onyoma(The Teacher), is clearly in her element as the overbearing mother who wants her daughter married off by every means possible. She appears in nearly every scene and basically carries the movie. Her acting is stellar. Her face, body language, every movement, nothing misses the mark.

I was especially moved by the scene in which she washes her hands off, helping Amara. Her voice and mannerisms appropriately matched the level of frustration any mother in her shoes would feel. Emma Ayalogu (Broken Reed) is the soft-spoken father, Chukwuma Obinze. I especially enjoyed his Igbo dialect.

Theme: The movie explores an integral part of Igbo culture. It also touches on family dynamics, love, marriage, the infantilization of female children, no matter their age and unplanned pregnancy.

The dialogue is not torturous and is subtitled for non-Igbo speakers. It is succinct and very natural. There are no superfluous scenes; every single scene serves to advance the plot in some way or introduce a new dimension into the movie.

The actors all give a positive interpretation of their roles. None of the lead and supporting characters is forgettable. They all find a way to shine individually and collectively.

The cinematography is aesthetically pleasing, the lighting is bright and consistent, and the sound is crisp and clear. There are no kissing scenes, so it is suitable for anyone 12 years of age or older.

There was some chemistry between the two lead characters, but it was like a cool breeze that comes after the rain. I expected more from the scene where he returns from his long sojourn abroad. The excitement was there, but there were no sparks or intense passion.

The wardrobe was a bit lacking. No outfit stood out. Also, Uju Obinze kept the same hairstyle throughout, making it seem as if the events happened over a few days.

The editor made a few errors, though they didn’t really disrupt the movie’s flow.

Verdict: This is a really good film. The storytelling is great. Its portrayal of Igbo tradition regarding marriage rites is contextually accurate. Oftentimes, screenwriters produce dialogue that is stilted and westernised. This movie doesn’t experience those pitfalls. It is clearly a Nigerian story, told by Nigerians.

Ngozi Echems Onyoma is one to watch. I am hard-pressed to believe she is new to the scene, given the verve she brought to her role.

Iju Ese is now showing on Oja TV on YouTube.