With story & screenplay by Emmanuel Macden, directed by Vincent D. Anointed, produced by Joseph Junior and Executively produced by Mercy Johnson-Okojie (also starring as Oma), this movie titled “THE FIRST BORN” is currently streaming on the latter’s Youtube channel with same name.
SYNOPSIS: (MAY contain spoilers)
Oma (Mercy Johnson-Okojie) had to become more than just a first born to her only sibling Ebuka (Christian Ochiagha) after they lost their parents. Her only wish & focus is to see her brother happy & succeed in life. But Oma has her own demons to fight.
STORY/PLOT:
The story though not new is however an interesting one. The plot is straightforward however lacks depth. We only see Oma and her friend Bimbo (Yvonne Jegede) at their buka joint selling food as Oma sips on alcohol ever so frequently. She talks of childhood trauma and demons she fights. We never really got to see these demons apart from the little bottle of gin she appears to always top up when her supplies run low. Was it the loss of their parents that brought about the demons? We don’t know. Was the trauma also as a result of the loss of their parents? We also weren’t told. All we kept hearing was demons and trauma and a lady who drowns herself in alcohol morning, noon & night with talks of failed relationships we also never saw.
SUGGESTION:
A flashback to maybe the period of the death of their parents and the extent to which this affected both siblings that resulted in the alcohol addiction may have helped. Or maybe one or some of her failed relationships.
PERFORMANCE:
The lead actors put up a good performance as they interpreted their roles. But not the best of their performances as we’ve seen them better in some other movies in the past. For instance, Mercy Johnson did great here but there were times her expressions weren’t apt. Also, Yvonne Jegede is a phenomenal actress but there were times when she seemed to have over acted in some scenes too. The supporting actors did their best but would need some improving. This is especially the lady who acted as Ebuka’s wife. Overall though, acting is average.
OUTCOME:
We get to feel the impact of the burden firstborn children have to carry as the writer and director intended but there are some occasions that were uncalled for. Like the scene where Oma was doing dishes in the rain. That scene was meant to tug at the heartstrings of viewers but it didn’t exactly hit the spot for me as it was rather uncalled for and downright ridiculous. Ebuka promised his sister he was going to take her food business to the next level but we never saw that materialise. Also, the ending was another unnecessary part of the film that made the plot even more shallow. That death was unnecessary. In fact what exactly was the cause of her death? Even if we know, it doesn’t really hold up much compared to what had been built up.
Lesson to learn:
Regardless of the loopholes or shortcomings in the movie nonetheless, there’s a solid lesson or two to learn.
- Never look after others to the extent of neglecting yourself
- Do not judge a book by its cover. People often make baseless conclusions or assumptions about people without knowing them up-close
Conclusion:
The movie is interesting to some extent but could have been a whole lot better if more depth had been given to the plot. The director stuck to the title of the movie. However there are cases where a last born or even a mid-child could shoulder responsibilities of an entire family given that they are the breadwinner. Hence, it would be stereotypical to state that firstborn children always carry burdens in homes. Nevertheless, the movie is relatable in most homes especially in the African society but it isn’t universal.
Overall, the movie is entertaining given the cast lineup but it is one that shouldn’t be approached with too much of an expectation. That way, it’d be enjoyable.
Verdict: 3.5/10
