meh! nigerian movie: A PLACE CALLED LOVE

First Thoughts

I usually enjoy the movies Maurice Sam uploads on his YouTube channel but this one was 

I tried to love it. I tried to be entertained by it but the film just no gree for me. 

The Cast and Crew

Maurice Sam as Jason
Sarian Martin Oruene as Nsikak
Atewe Raphael as Saga
Kingsley Nwachukwu as Herbert
Obey Etok Chima as Mrs Elizabeth
Jennifer Nnoruga as Ella

Written by Agu Gift Ihuoma
Produced by Sarian Martin Oruene
Directed by Okey Ifeanyi
Soundtrack: 

Full Story

On his way to a barbing salon to cut his hair, Jason bumps into Nsikak. She is on the phone and immediately cuts the call to give him a piece of her mind in her very thick Ibibio/Akwa Ibom accent. 

Jason is flabbergasted by her rudeness but walks away because he needs to cut his hair. He walks into the salon and finds Ella inside. Jason asks for the barber and Ella goes outside to call the barber — Nsikak.

Nsikak cuts his hair and charges him 1500 naira for the service, he throws a wad of cash in her face instead. 

Nsikak is thankful and asks him for his name, of which he says that she should look at his plate number for it. 

After their encounter, Jason returns home to gist his friend, Saga about the situation. He tells Saga to go to Nsikak’s shop and assess her. Saga goes, gets a hair cut and returns singing her praises which annoys Jason. 

Suddenly, Jason develops an interest in Nsikak. He stalks her and finds out that she is very kind. She gives out the little money she has to the children in her neighbourhood. Her kindness melts Jason’s heart and he visits her shop. 

He asks her out on a date — a dinner date. They go out, talk and learn a little about each other. That date then spurs in Jason an intense fascination with Nsikak. 

Next, he asks her if there is something she would want to experience that she hasn’t before. Nsikak says she will answer him later, but she never does. So Oga Jason goes to her shop again to ask her. Nsikak says she wants to experience snow — which was why she never told him because she knows it is something Jason cannot give to her.

Jason invites her to his home and she visits. He offers her dinner which he prepared. She is impressed by the taste and gobbles everything after which Jason takes her outside where he has what I would presume to be a snow machine. The machine pumps out fake snow to the excitement of Nsikak whose dream had just come true

Sort of.

Jason’s mother, Mrs Elizabeth visits while Nsikak is around. Mrs Elizabeth takes one look at Nsikak and disapproves of her because Nsikak is “too local”.

Her disapproval doesn’t deter Jason though as he continues to see Nsikak and buy her lots of gifts. Nsikak’s ex-boyfriend, Herbert, retraces his steps back to her after being used and dumped by the woman he left Nsikak for. Nsikak is not interested but Herbert is persistent. 

Jason takes Nsikak out for another dinner date where he confesses his feelings for her. He also asks her to be his girlfriend and she accepts. Mrs Elizabeth continues to express her displeasure for Jason and Nsikak’s relationship so Jason allows her to test Nsikak to prove that Nsikak is a good girl. 

Mrs Elizabeth tests her and Nsikak passes the test. After the test, Mrs Elizabeth gives both of them her full blessing. 

As if

Herbert remains persistent in his pursuit of Nsikak and to prove that he is still the man, he makes multiple attempts at raping Nsikak. In his first attempt, he is stopped by Ella. In his second attempt, Jason walks in and assumes that Nsikak is cheating on him. He assumes this despite Nsikak screaming and asking for help before, while and after he entered her flat

Nsikak tries to plead and explain things to him but Jason refuses to grant her an audience. Nsikak goes to his house and knocks all through the night. Saga finds her sleeping outside the next morning and criticises Jason for making her sleep outside. 

Jason is surprised that she did and he goes outside to meet her. They reconcile and in the end, Jason asks Nsikak to marry him.

Rating out of 10

I give it 🥱🥱

This movie was too long. It was 2hrs 4mins of boredom. The film was neither funny, dramatic, romantic nor cute. It was just stodgy vibes strung together without any entertainment value.

I tried not to fall asleep while watching this movie and I failed. So I had to watch give myself a break, catch some correct zzz and start again.