MOVIE REVIEW: ‘A Night with Mr Daniels’, weak storyline, great acting

Director: Great Val Edochie

Cast: Daniel Etim Effiong, Detola Jones, Harriet Akinola, Perpetual Ukadike, Charles Born,

Nollywood is known to go through phases as an industry. From the era of ‘epic’ movies, during which the industry was born, it morphed into money-making ritual stories.

Then came the era of romance, which gave way to owambe-themed movies, giving way to crime movies.

The trend, aided by the rise of indie filmmakers domiciled on YouTube, is steering back to romance.

The massive run by Omoni’s ‘Love in Every Word’. Following in its heels is ‘A Night with Mr Daniels’.

Plot

Ibiere’s (Detola Jones) Mother is Ill and needs to take medication to stay alive. She cleans for the wealthy, Adaku.

(Harriet Akinola) and her daughter, Nneka (Perpetual Ukadike).

Meanwhile, a royal wedding between Prince Mr Daniels (Daniel Etim Effiong) and Nneka is in the offing, but there is a condition: He has to be the only man she has ever known.

On one hand, there is Nneka, a carefree and overly pampered girl. On the other hand, Ibiere is a job-hunting graduate and a virgin.

Ibiere’s mother is framed for theft, and she is blackmailed into sleeping with the Prince, whose drink was spiked, in Nneka’s place.

Ebiere finds herself working with the prince’s company in a twist of fate. Even though the events of that night are still blurred, he tries to recollect her face.

Feelings develop as the events spiral into a make-or-break moment.

Review

Nigerian movie lovers tend to always cheer for the prince-charming-saves-the-day themed movie. ‘A Night with Mr Daniels’ appears to whet that appetite.

In the movie, Ibiere saves her mother from imprisonment by hatching a plan with her long-time friend Nneka. Check into the hotel room with Nneka.

While Ibiere hides in the bathroom and stays quiet, Nneka gets the prince’s favourite wine, spikes it and gets him groggy. When things get heated up, they swap places.

This ordinarily should be a psychological thriller, but it ends up being a movie, raising questions in the viewers’ minds: How does a graduate with a first-class in architecture buckle at the first sign of blackmail?

Although a film has the potential for compelling twists and turns, the story is straightforward; it almost feels like reading through bullet points.

It could be because most YouTube movies from Nigeria are shot with a slim budget, but the bar set by Omoni’s ‘Love in Every Word’ had more to do with storytelling than budget.

However, what ‘A Night with Mr Daniels’ lacks in storytelling is compensated for in acting and production quality. The actors deliver convincing performances, and the production design and cinematography are top-notch, creating a visually appealing film.

Verdict

5/10