Oldest Bridesmaid, completed on September 13, 2020, and released in January 2025, attempts to blend comedy and drama, but fails to achieve either. Directed by Stanley Obi, the film opens with a sense of datedness, evident from the text/title graphics and sound quality. While the narrative explores themes of love, family, and societal pressures through the lives of four sisters, it lacks the emotional resonance needed to connect with viewers.
Oldest Bridesmaid
Directed by: Stanley Obi
Written by: Ojor Nneka
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released on: January, 2025 (Prime Video)
Language: English
Plot
The film opens with Kitan, the youngest of four sisters, announcing her engagement, sparking a ripple of reactions among her sisters. Christabel, the eldest, embodies a pragmatic “iron lady” persona, dismissing romance in favour of her career. Toke is fiercely independent, revelling in her casual lifestyle, while Vivian struggles with the emotional stagnation of an eight-year relationship without a proposal in sight. Kitan’s announcement forces each sister to confront their personal struggles and unspoken frustrations.
While the plot sets up a compelling premise: a family reckoning with differing approaches to love and marriage; it falters in execution. Key moments feel underdeveloped, such as the handling of Kitan’s abuse, which is rushed into the climax without the buildup needed to deepen its impact. Subplots, like Christabel’s budding romance, fail to enrich the main storyline, while abrupt scene transitions and awkward pacing disrupt the film’s ability to sustain engagement.
Rather than weaving events into a meaningful narrative, the plot simply unfolds, lacking the emotional layering required to fully immerse viewers in the characters’ lives. In order words, the series of events fail to create the intended momentum, offering little engagement beyond watching the drama unfold on screen.
Story
Oldest Bridesmaid sets out to explore the diverse challenges women face within the spheres of love, marriage, and family. It reflects on societal pressures to marry at the “right time,” the allure of independence, and the compromises that often come with romantic relationships. Through the sisters’ differing journeys, the film aspires to present a multifaceted look at modern womanhood, balancing drama with comedic moments to make its themes relatable and thought-provoking.
While the story touches on meaningful ideas such as questioning societal expectations and exploring personal fulfilment, it lacks the emotional resonance to leave a lasting impression. The comedic elements, often centred around Mrs Alabi’s maternal antics, fail to provide genuine humour, and the dramatic moments feel shallow due to the flat performances and misplaced musical cues.
Despite aiming to present layered perspectives on love and marriage, the story ultimately feels like a collection of predictable events rather than a deeply engaging narrative. Its potential for impact is hindered by an uneven tone and a lack of narrative depth, leaving the audience with little to connect to beyond surface-level observations about relationships.
Performances
The performances leave much to be desired, failing to draw viewers into the emotional lives of the characters. While the sisters’ conflicts are relatable on paper, the portrayals lack the depth and conviction needed to make these struggles resonate. Kitan’s scenes of abuse, for example, feel superficial, offering little room for the audience to empathise with her plight. Similarly, Vivian’s desperation for a proposal comes across as melodramatic rather than sincere, robbing her storyline of emotional weight.
One major issue contributing to this disconnect is the post-recorded dialogue, which strips the performances of natural emotion and makes interactions feel robotic. Even the comedic relief from Mrs Alabi, who is meant to inject energy into the film, feels overdone and one-note, failing to land the intended humour. Ultimately, the performances leave the audience watching from a distance, unable to form meaningful connections with the characters or their journeys.
Technical Aspects
The technical execution significantly undermines the film’s storytelling, making it difficult for the film to leave a lasting impression. From the very beginning, the dated quality of the production is apparent (it being dated is not wrong, by the way), with its text and title graphics animation. The sound design is particularly problematic, with dialogue in certain scenes sounding like it was recorded separately and was well integrated into the final mix. This post-recorded audio robs the performances of their emotional nuance, creating a disconnect between the actors and their “human-ness”.
The film’s editing choices further disrupt its flow, with frequent abrupt cuts used as transitions that fail to establish the passage of time or maintain continuity. This leaves scenes feeling disjointed and prevents the audience from fully engaging with the narrative. Additionally, the musical score often feels mismatched to the on-screen action. For instance, the ominous tone of the score during a lighthearted conversation about Kitan’s wedding creates confusion about the intended mood, distracting viewers from the scene’s purpose.
Visually, the film doesn’t offer much to keep the audience invested. The cinematography lacks creativity, and the framing does little to elevate the drama or provide a visual language that enhances the themes. Ultimately, the technical shortcomings compound the film’s struggles, making it harder for its narrative and performances to resonate.
Final Thoughts
Oldest Bridesmaid aspires to be a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds, love, and societal pressures, but its execution leaves much to be desired. Stanley Obi’s direction seems to lack a cohesive vision, resulting in a film that struggles with tonal inconsistency. The comedic elements rarely land, with much of the humour relying on Mrs Alabi’s antics. Meanwhile, the drama, intended to be the emotional core of the film, lacks the weight and nuance necessary to resonate with its audience.
The film’s inability to balance its themes of romance, independence, and family pressure stems from an overall lack of depth in the storytelling. Instead of inviting viewers into the characters’ emotional lives, the narrative feels like a collection of loosely connected scenes, further hampered by technical flaws.
While there are glimpses of potential in the concept, such as the exploration of abusive relationships and societal expectations, these ideas remain underdeveloped. The lack of attention to detail in both the performances and technical aspects diminishes the film’s ability to communicate its messages effectively.
Verdict
In the end, Oldest Bridesmaid leaves viewers with more frustration than satisfaction, struggling to achieve the impact it set out to deliver. Oldest Bridesmaid becomes a watchable but disengaging spectacle, offering little more than a series of events unfolding without the emotional depth or narrative continuity necessary to truly captivate.
Rating: 1.75/5
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