TNSBY JAX OLOTU
There was this story I once saw on the internet about a boy whose parents abandoned him in the village and left for the United States because he was becoming too unruly to handle. If you didn’t see it, then maybe you should see Tough Love as they have basically the same premise. And yes, you should see it also because while the former is a story, the latter acts it all out in two hours plus.
We watch the boy, Obaloluwa, grow from a substance-abusing, thieving, trash-spilling riffraff to a man who takes responsibility and gives back. We watch him transform from one seeking a cheap lay to one falling in love and waiting for the right time. We watch his love interest, Monike too, as she grows from a timid maid into a woman in love and passionate about learning. Tough Love doesn’t miss a thing as it leads us on this journey.
And while it is not a perfect film, going on for way longer than it normally could, with scenes that drag and do not favour the story enough, Tough Love comes real close, being unapologetically Nigerian while at it, and giving us performances that take our breaths away. From an outstanding Vivian Metchie who plays Iya Ola and takes the cake for best performance all round to a consistent Bimbo Ogunmola and an interesting revelation Joshua Richards, Tough Love, a film produced and directed by Biodun Stephen, is one to not easily forget. The film is written by Ozioma B Nwughala.
Tough Love is proof of the magic of a simple well-told story. With music that accentuates every mood, a love perhaps a little too sudden, and the brown tired roofs of Abeokuta, Tough Love will take you on a journey that’ll move your heart and make you smile.
