Written by Joy Isi Bewaji, produced by Esther Akapo and directed & Executively Produced by Uche Jombo (also starring as Elizabeth), this family drama titled “COLORS” is now available for streaming on the latter’s YouTube channel with same name.
Synopsis: (MAY include spoilers)
Elizabeth (Uche Jombo) & Praise (Uzor Arukwe) are a couple. Together, they have a daughter who has a son. Sadly, Praise is an éfulefú (for how the Igbos call it) or what the Yorubas would refer to as óloribúrúkú (a no-gooder).
He abandoned the entire financial responsibilities of catering for the family’s wellbeing on his wife. After series of back and forths over the years, Elizabeth managed to make lemonade out of her lemons.
Would you get your popcorn and/or favourite drink to munch and sip along in order to follow as events unfold in this drama with a runtime of 1hour 24minutes? Well, you be the judge of that!
My Take:
Successfully, this has made it to top in the list of films that pissëd me off!
Possibly gunning for the award of the “WORST FILM OF THE YEAR!” 2025
This movie is a perfect way to explain to someone that a good story can get lost in a poorly expressed and mismanaged direction. In the opening credits, as soon as I saw Joy Isi Bewaji as the writer, I was relaxed and ready to have a jolly good ride cos she’s one writer I respect in the industry.
Unfortunately, this journey (movie) turned out to be an absolutely body-aching tormentous ride (plot/direction) in a posh car (story). See, give this same story to a different director who knows their onions and you’d be amazed at the outcome! It’s heartbreaking cos this could have been somewhat like Funke Akindele’s “Finding Me” in its impact
albeit from a poor-person narrative or perspective which is something I would have equally enjoyed.
Irrespective of the fact that the duration was an impressive one, the sequencing & dialogues still made for a bore. The first two scenes could be an absolute turnoff for an impatient viewer. Not sure what the drones were doing as we saw the lead actress just going about her thing in those scenes.
To be candid, I want to believe it gets to a point in an actor’s career when they should become selective or mindful of the roles they accept as some may just water down the high quality or stance they’ve managed to build for themselves in the industry.
In my opinion, Uzor Arukwe should not have accepted this role especially not under this production which did not utilise his skill set properly. Well, as far as money is concerned, the question that would then follow is “will you feed him and his family?” News flash! That’s TRUE!
Money must be made any which way as far as it’s legit, right?
Thought so!
To be brutally honest, I didn’t feel his acting or his character in this film. He appears exhausted!
OBSERVATION/QUESTIONS
1. Many women decide to stay in toxic marriages because of their kids who are still tender. These sets of women believe that the kids need a stable environment (whatever stability means to them). Elizabeth’s daughter was already grown and married with a child of her own and living in almost similar condition as her mother. Now what was Elizabeth’s RATIONALE to remain with Priaise who couldn’t care less about providing for his home and ontop of that decides to go for a second wife? I see many women just want to bear the title of “Mrs.”
This however was not adequately highlighted in this movie.
2. How did a RED PURSE end up at a corner of a busy buzzing road and no one noticed until the person who was made to notice? Okay! That aside! I know people can make mistakes. But what kind of a receptionist hands her Boss’s keys over to a total stranger without proper ID checks and confirmation and all just because of assumptions?
3. We know that madam Gold (Uzo Osimkpa) & her husband were made to portray an ideal rich-happy couple vibes, but was all those kissing and smooching necessary in front of a visitor? Hey! We’re Africans first before anything else. Let’s not forget that! There are some things that are just far-fetched in our continent…forget all these borrowed culture thingy. Besides, all those PDAs aren’t any guarantee that all’s well in a marriage. So, that wasn’t a very pleasant or realistic depiction.
4. How did Elizabeth’s daughter end up same as her mother with a son she’s almost always struggling with and no help in sight? Did we even see the father of her child or did I miss it?
Blessing’s situation happens in real life to be honest. I just wished they had highlighted on this rather than just make it a part of the movie that wasn’t explored!
5. I know some ladies will marry just about ANYTHING just to be in the league of married women. But what was in it for that lady Praise married? Okay! I see, to bear him sons. Sons that we never saw they had or was never told in the movie? Alright! We’re made to understand that Praise has no job. How then could he afford to marry a second wife? Oh! I see! Probably with the money he stole from his wife!
But would he feed her with?
6. The lesson was clearly to “define your own happiness!” But in this case, the message was poorly conveyed in my opinion. Was Elizabeth really TRULY happy in those “COLORS” or just being delusional due to years of emotional and financial abuse from her husband? What was she doing in that marriage ceremony by the way?
7. Now, let’s talk about the ENDING! That…THAT has got to be the most ABRUPT end to a movie I’ve ever seen in my entire life! I kidn’t you!
It had me rewinding to see if I missed something. And NO, this is not because I was enjoying the movie but because I was hoping for the movie to eventually kick off and make some sense! Alas! I was left stranded! Oh! Justice for my watch time!
Wait! Was this movie meant to be a comedy? Naaaah! There wasn’t a source of ‘ha ha’ for me as all I got were points for many ‘ahn ahn’ of eye rolls!
Honestly, this story is powerful and could have been told with just as much strength but it got weakened by the approach to storytelling here! In this modern day and age where anyone can be a celebrity, what happens when the lights are out and the curtains are closed?
Elizabeth adorns herself in multiple colours which to me is quite symbolic and metaphorical. Yet, it wasn’t solidly established how she ended up in that style of dressing as we’re made to believe that she stumbled upon an old box of clothes. The clothes in the box may very well have just been rags! Does that mean she would have worn the rags too?
That aspect of the movie came from nowhere if you ask me! It didn’t add up!
Conclusively, while this movie may be interesting to certain sets of people, it however didn’t do it for me! Hence the score above for the respect I have for the writer. This could have been better in more ways than one!
