Movie review: ‘Journey to self’ is a chick flick, but one the guys can also enjoy

by Wilfred Okiche

Journey-to-Self movie

Five close friends who were once inseparable during their childhood years have grown up to realise that life isn’t a bed of roses. They are all doing their bit to get by and make the most of their situations .

Uche (Tosin Sido) is married to a very wealthy chief and is domiciled in Abuja, the country’s capital. Regina (Ashionye Michelle Raccah) is living in domestic hell, married to her childhood sweet who has gradually turned into a monstrous brute. Alex (Dakore Egbuson Akande) is an A-list Nollywood actress on the verge of another meltdown, Nse (Nse Ikpe-Etim) is a high flying magazine editor who seems to have it all but harbours a terrible secret and Rume (Katherine Obiang) is brash, and forward as she deals with a bitter divorce and comes to terms with her partner’s true feelings.

Inseparable and known as the famous 5 during their school days, they have grown into women who rarely see each other due to the demands of work and family. Tragedy strikes, Uche passes away in unfortunate circumstances and they are forced to make out time to spend one last weekend in Uche’s gigantic Abuja mansion as per her last requests.

The stay becomes a revealing and life-changing experience as they are forced to address lingering issues, relive old times and open festering wounds long kept hidden.

Directed by Tope Oshin-Ogun, written and produced by Ashionye Michelle Ugboh, ‘Journey to self’ is unashamedly feminist in it’s leanings. With the predominantly female cast, the men in this picture appear either to reinforce stereotypes or perpetuate popular cinema clichés. Femi Brainard, Chris Attoh, Kalu Ikeagwu and Femi Jacobs all appear at some point but they are only there to help the women shine or stop them as the case may be.

The plot is quite unusual and a welcome diversion from standard fare. It tells a familiar story but approaches from a different angle. In deftly applied flash backs, and with each successive letter written by Uche before her death, each character’s story arc is traced to the present day. Uche (Sido) it is revealed is the glue that holds the ladies together. She holds this duty so sacred that even in death, she does not hesitate to do her part one last time even when her friends have ultimately failed her.

There are moments when the director shows real promise. A flash back scene where a student transfers a note to her colleague segues to the present where someone else is handed a letter. Nicely done. However, there are issues with sound. Rising and falling intermittently it subtracts significantly from the quality of the production.

One would think that with a cast this pronounced, the acting would be the strongest part of the film. There are moments of subtlety, but it is mostly drama; of the screaming and shouting kind. Strangely enough only Nse Ikpe-Etim impresses in that regard. Her ice cool magazine editor is styled to a tee and a flick of her wrist or curve of eyebrow is enough to send minions running. She knows how to work the camera, that woman. Dakore Egbuson Akande makes a return to acting but this is no triumphant entry. She does the bare minimum required and does not sparkle when she should.

Ashionye Michelle Ugboh plays the battered wife credibly but speaks with an accent one cannot quite place. The weak links here are Tosin Sido and Katherine Obiang. Sido appears briefly in flash backs and works her good looks to her advantage. Katherine Obiang (formerly Edoho) on the other hand is far too hysteric and is obviously unable to pull off the role of the unrefined Rume.

A game cast, decent story, and finely directed screenplay makes ‘Journey to self’ one for the money, it is a chick flick but like the ad campaign suggests, the guys are also welcome.

Comments (3)

  1. Very good review..I just saw the movie and think Katherine Obiang did a wonderful job with her character….she brought a certain kind of comic flavour to the movie that was missing from the other characters….Nse was wonderful and Ashionye was good(i understand the accent)….good movie….unusual and different

  2. You are clueless. Do yourself a favor and take some drama appreciation classes. You are just as stupid as the Nollywood films you review. This was a boring and contrived script from start to finish. The director had no clue and the acting was horrendous all around.

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