Before the New Year kicked off, I was eagerly anticipating Family Gbese’s release on Prime Video, especially after a successful run in cinemas. Maybe it was the star-studded cast that caught my attention, or perhaps I was just hoping for an exciting family drama. Unfortunately, after watching it, I have to say I didn’t get the level of enjoyment I expected. Here’s my review.
Glimpse at Family Drama
Family Gbese tells the story of Nnamdi Nwagba (played by Uzor Arukwe), a successful investment banker who seems to have it all. He’s on the path to a brighter future with a promotion at work and an engagement to Yetunde Olopade (Lilian Afegbai), a woman from a wealthy family in Lagos. Everything seems perfect, right? Well, not quite. As the saying goes, “Not all that glitters is gold.”
Nnamdi’s older brother, Gozie (played by Mike Ezuruonye), has gotten into trouble and owes a significant amount of money to a gangster. This sets the stage for the family’s troubles. Onise Ojo (Muyiwa Ademola), the gangster boss, forces Nnamdi into a difficult position, threatening him to use his company’s account for money laundering. The tension between Nnamdi’s career, family, and personal life grows. To make matters worse, his fiancée Yetunde faces pressure from her own family, particularly her mother, Dolapo (Ireti Doyle), who adds to the weight of high society expectations.
What Went Wrong?
While the theme of Family Gbese had great potential, the execution fell short. There were several moments where I expected more depth, but the story remained on the surface. One of the major issues was the lack of tension in the gangster storyline. In a film about gangsters and money laundering, I expected the villain, Onise Ojo, to be a real threat. However, the tension didn’t build up like I thought it would. In comparison, characters like Chidi Mokeme’s in Shanty Town created a much more intimidating villain. Here, I kept wondering why Nnamdi didn’t just go to the police or report it to the EFCC.
The casting of Adeniyi Johnson as a thug was another mistake. It’s hard to take him seriously in a role that requires a menacing presence. His performance didn’t convince me that he was capable of intimidating anyone, which made the character less believable.
Forced Romance and Unnecessary Plot Points
Another part of the film that didn’t sit well with me was the forced romance between Nnamdi and Ayomikun Balogun (Teniola Aladese). The storyline between Nnamdi and Yetunde was already well-established, so introducing Ayo into the mix felt unnecessary and awkward. It distracted from the main plot and didn’t add anything meaningful to the story.
There were also several scenes that felt flat and dragged on, making the film a bit boring at times. And to be honest, I still don’t understand the purpose of Genoveva’s character in the story—her role seemed unclear.
On a positive note, Family Gbese tried to dive into the world of finance and tech, which added an interesting part to the story.. The discussions about money laundering and corporate pressure had the potential to make the movie stand out, but unfortunately, they didn’t explore these themes deeply enough to make them truly impactful.
Casting
Despite the weaknesses in the script, some actors still delivered solid performances. Uzor Arukwe stood out as Nnamdi, capturing the inner conflict of a man torn between family loyalty and career ambitions. Ireti Doyle, as usual, nailed her role as the sophisticated, yet controlling mother. Mike Ezuruonye also did well as Gozie, though the forced humor in his role didn’t land as well as it could have. Other actors in minor roles did their best, but unfortunately, their performances couldn’t save the weak storyline.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Family Gbese had an interesting premise, but it didn’t quite deliver the impact it could have. The tension was lacking, some of the casting choices were off, and the forced humor and romantic subplot felt out of place. While there were some great performances, the weak plot and shallow execution made it hard for me to enjoy fully. I would rate the movie a 5.5/10.
Happy New Year, everyone! What are your plans for the year? Nollywood has some exciting things in store, and I’m here to keep you covered with more reviews!
