REVIEWER: NNAJI HARRIET AMAKA
RESTORE MY LOVE PART 1 &2
Movies &Franco Films:
Starring: Emeka Ike, Juliet Ibrahim, Emeka Akolo, Charity Eke, Nora Ugo;
Production Manager: Chininso Okoli;
Producer/Exec. Producer: Kenneth Okonkwo;
Editor: Ilo Collins E.;
Director: Emeka Muangwu;
Principal Locations: Ghana/Nigeria.
Timing: 112 mins
Released date: 2009.
GENRE: Romance
PLOT: “ Restore My Love” is a linear story of Achike (Emeka Ike), who falls in love with a clean-cut and hard working Jeneth (Juliet Ibrahim), but because of a preconceived notion of women who work in banking institutions, he becomes despondent and sends her packing, but ends up with a woman who is a mismatch for him. Actually, his friend Ossy (Emeka Akolo) causes him look at his wife, Jeneth with the wrong eyes. When he finally sees the light, he promises to go back to his wife. Meanwhile, Jeneth had been fired from the bank because she couldn’t give in to an aids-ridden bank manager. At one point, she goes back to the village to her mother but couldn’t stay and have to come back to the city and gets job with a cable company. She’s pregnant with Acheke’s child the whole while.
Jeneth’s hard to forgive Achike but being so in love with her husband, she manages to accept him back in her life and let him hold their daughter in his arms, in their living room.
“An incredible story”, as Janeth herself at length could put it. Yes, an incredible story I can attest to. Here in Restore My Love, Achike has the natural motivation through miseries by associating himself with someone that he’s not at par with, socially. I admire him too in two scenes concerning his self realization and preparations to restore his love. One is in the scene where Achike stands over Ogby: “The party is over…I can’t control you anymore…I want you to leave my life”, even as the uncouth Ogby, could retort to his statement: “Me, a be your wife-o”. And in another scene, he tells his friend Ossy: “I’ll swallow my pride and look for Janeth”. And so he does.
When such linear type stories are told, with not much digressions to unnecessarily hold viewers attention as we witness in other stories, we feel rewarded. I love this incredible story because it has story. The two principal players, Emeka Ike and Juliet Ibrahim fight for their interests against all odds and restore their once precious love. Now a story is told.
I cannot assign a category to this film or relate it to any recent Nollywood or Gollywood flick. It is simply enchanting. I felt pulled into the center of actions from curtain up, and I cried with Jeneth, pity Bob for the blind side he maintains into the character of a wife who dearly loves him and at curtain down, I laughed and rejoiced with both of them and their little one like a big African family. If you’ve been turned off lately by some Nollywood movies, this I promise will keep you good company. Enjoy it
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
ANGLE: medium angle was dominant in the movie and other angles were also used.
CAMERA MOVEMENT: a dolly was used so as to survey or show how big the land was.
CAMERA SPEED: Medium camera speed was maintained throughout the movie
MAKE-UP: the characters wore heavy and straight make-up.
REFLECTION: I found it amazing how after everything Achike ends up with a woman who is a mismatch for him.
MY RATING: 80%
FINALE: What if God grants you the most wonderful, beautiful, obedient, god-fearing , respectful and hardworking wife and because of a preconceived notion about certain types of women, especially those who work in the banks, as planted in your mind by a friend who has a philandering wife, you become suspicious of your own. Being pumped up you become impatient and jealous, and drives her out of the relationship. In exchange, you end up with the most crude, gross and unorthodox girl, who wouldn’t tolerate caress or foreplay in bed because; it is the work of the devil.
OVERALL: He was prejudice about female bankers but still got married to one. Their marriage came to an end when a coworker of his wife told him about his wife's constant cheating at work.
SHOULD I WATCH IT: I think so it's an easy movie to watch and fast moving for a change.
PERFORMANCE OF THE ACTORS: The acting was ok some parts from Emeka were over acted but I still like him in movies. As for Juliet I think she is truly improving... in this film at least, everyone knows that I think her make-up and hair leaves much to be desired. I’ve s
CHALLENGES: the movie was very challenging. There are three parts to it which means that there was a lot to do and a lot of time for the production. Some scenes were cut off and some scenes were not shot due to security reasons. Getting the twins was also another challenge as a face mask was to be created for better effect and less stress.
FLAWS: there was a scene in the film where the line mike was showing and the lighting was bad at some point because shadows were showing at some point.
