With story written by Bimbo Ademoye (also starring as Diya), screenplay by Jenifer Nkem-Eneanya, directed by Great-Val Edochie (also starring as the Doctor), produced by Grace Onyia and Executively produced by Bimbo Ademoye herself, this movie titled “BROKEN HALLELUJAH” is now available for streaming on the latter’s YouTube channel with same name.

Synopsis: (MAY contain spoilers) 

Moroundiya ‘Diya’ (Bimbo Ademoye) was raised in a Christian home. Orphaned, she lived with her God-loving grandma, Iya Agba.

Okwudili ‘Deedee’ (Daniel Etim-Effiong) on the other hand, who also lived in the same community as Diya, equally grew up in the faith as they attended same Church.

Living in the same neighbourhood from childhood, it wasn’t strange that both Diya & Deedee would eventually find love in each other’s arms. Life would later happen as the duo are left with choices to find a way to navigate through.

Will they break or will their love wax stronger in the face of the fiercest of storms? Well, why not grab your popcorn and or favourite drink, munch sip along as you follow events unfold in this Faith-based drama with a runtime of 2hours 27minutes.

MY TAKE:
Apart from the sisters-centred-themed approach, this movie in more ways than one readily brings to mind ma’am Biodun Stephen’s “ROSES & IVY” on Prime Video. I couldn’t help but ponder on the similarities after watching this.

The voice over tool for storytelling, the take-off from a rural setting leading up to an urban lifestyle and occasional visits back due to certain setbacks, the once not-so-good friends then to lovers-turned-couple from way back in the rural area, the issues around infertility, the struggles, frustration, desperation and even so much as the outcome in the end (this one just added an extra); all these were screaming “ROSES & IVY” in my opinion!

I guess, it is safe to say the writer here borrowed a leaf or got about 80% of inspiration from that mini series in addition to several others. Is this a bad thing? 

 Of course not! Please don’t get me wrong! I’m just pointing out the obvious; at least from where I stand.

I appreciate how this had a multi-religious perspective. Islamic standpoints seen in the character of Samira (portrayed by Veteran actress Bimbo Akintola) whilst being broadly based on Christianity.

Nonetheless, this movie, in my viewpoint apparently tried to serve or please several audience-types probably so as to max out on profit or just to tug at the heartstrings of a variety of viewers.

Compromising on many fronts, it attempted to eat its cake and still have it. For one, for a faith-based movie, the kissing scenes were EXCESSIVELY EXCESSIVE! Who does that! How realistic was all that smooching even in the presence of kids especially in an African setting! 

While there was top notch acting from ALL THE ACTORS involved here, with good picture quality and sound, incredible voice over recording (which carries viewers along with ease), nice colour grading, natural looking makeup, brilliant diction (especially from the old woman at the well), however, editing seemed to have experienced a glitch somewhere in the Ikorodu scene.

With an abundance of punchlines, inspirational messages/quotes as well as goosebumps-worthy moments plus some uplifting moral lessons, this movie utilised an already overused style in its approach to storytelling, projection & progression while relatively bringing nothing new or fresh to the table. Well, except for the child baptism by immersion at the opening scene which is symbolic of the dëath and resurrection of Christ, apt for the time or period of release of this film being Easter!

Speaking of symbolism, I also find that the theme of “the woman at the well” was equally iconic and quite biblically metaphorical in a certain kind of way. Nice one! 

OBSERVATIONS/QUESTIONS:
1. DURATION: This was frustratingly frustrating so much so that even at a playback speed of x1.5, this movie still appeared slow. Not sure how people who watched at a normal pace coped though. The entire story and plot could easily have been effectively executed for half the time of this film. And I’m not even mincing words. It dragged on for too long and blurred out into a bore for a viewer like myself.

2. CHARACTERISATION: Was Deedee the pastor’s son or just a member of the Church as a Christian drummer boy? For an Igbo-native living in a Yoruba community (which is absolutely great by the way), we didn’t have much info about his background. Or did I miss it? 

3. CONTINUITY: Somewhere, we got to know that Deedee lost communication with Diya for about a week or so. Next thing, he came back to propose and the next, there are lovely live-sized wedding photos hanging on the walls of their matrimonial home somewhere in the city. So what caused the break in transmission? Was Deedee in trouble? Did he lost his phone? Or did I miss something? 

4. Still on continuity, when Dotun (Eso Dike) who played the devil’s advocate kept on planting seeds of discord or perverseness in Deedee’s head, what happened with Deedee’s PA/secretary. Did she feed in to the temptation? Did she make an attempt? 

5. For a die-hard believer who was pïssed off by his mother’s double-edged belief or faith, how he immediately succumbed and his later action was baffling! I mean, for a man of his moral uprightness, who takes a dress for fitting to a single-lady’s house at that ungodly hour ALONE, simply because he had a scuffle with his wife? How convenient! I see what the writer tried to do there to show ‘the weakness of the flesh!’ It just didn’t connect smoothly in my opinion!

6. TITLE: To me, “BROKEN” would have been enough a title for the movie. Personally, after watching, I still can’t put together the “BROKEN HALLELUJAH” There was visibly a struggle many a time especially in the 3rd act of the film where they tried to make the title fit but it just wasn’t working if you ask me! 

7. Movie was educational mostly around some side effects of some fertility interventions. But I noticed the bad driving habits inadvertently portrayed here. Several times, a driver was seen making calls whilst driving with phone to the ear like it was an IDEAL thing to do. For a car as sophisticated as a Mercedes Benz (top tier model for that matter), whatever happened to hands free calls while driving or passing the right safety message of parking safely prior! 

8. The babies, towards the end…not to sound insensitive but I’m not one to be blindsided to not mention that they didn’t particularly look like new borns at the hospital nor as few weeks old at home. If there was difficulty in casting age-exact babies, then editing or avoidance entirely could have fixed those. Hey! For the umpteenth time, this isn’t 1995 or 2005! THIS IS 2025! Helloooooooo! 

See, I could go on and on as there’s more but I’d rather stop here!

Overall, this wasn’t a bad watch just could have been better. As a woman myself who waited 7 WHOLE YEARS to have my first son, this was relatable. You can’t teach a woman in that state how to handle herself. It’s often easier said than done.

The way Daniel takes “flee every appearances of evil” personal in movies need to be studied! 

Great-Val is almost always acting either as a doctor or as a pastor in movies. Reminds me of veterans Clem Ohameze and Patrick Doyle of Nollywood of yesteryears who would often act as Pastors.

This was interesting. Just not as I had envisaged (especially with the wait). Maybe my expectations were on steroids but the storyline being a heavily recycled one isn’t as powerfully put together as it was originally hoped to be. No offence!