Sigh, watching “Uno The F in Family” was such a chore. Beginning with the overused stereotypical portrayal of a funny driver who doesn’t know when to keep quiet; the inauthentic relationship and cringe-worthy dynamics between Ada and Kenny, coupled with poor dialogue delivery, make many aspects of this film eye-rollingly frustrating. The film’s handling of the theme of forgiveness is particularly bothersome, often coming across as shallow and can make one question their intelligence.

With a title like “Uno: The F in Family,” you’d think the ‘F’ stands for forgiveness. Ironically, by the time the credits roll, it’s evident that the film stayed true to its name, earning an ‘F’.

Story

“Uno The F in Family”‘s narrative, unfolding over a single day, centers on Emeka Junior Uzuakpundu, an eccentric young man portrayed by Izuchukwu ‘Keezyto’. After a decade-long estrangement, Junior returns to his Christian Igbo family to introduce his fiancée, Rukayat (Tomi Ojo), a Yoruba Muslim girl.

What began as nothing more than his welcome home fast becomes a bitter examination of Junior’s partnership and a mirror reflection of how a family is held together with such a thin string. Junior encounters a barrage of fury and shame for squandering ten years away from them and is taken aback by his choice of partner and religious beliefs. The cultural and religious differences between Junior, Rukayat, and his family further complicate the reunion. Soon, secrets begin to unfold and the family has learned the ‘f’ of forgiveness.

Plot

With a predictable, exposition-heavy plot and no surprising twists, this film dragged on with poorly delivered dialogue for its two-hour runtime. The pacing was barely adequate, but the sheer lack of intelligence in the script made it feel interminable. Despite its desperate attempts to evoke empathy, the story utterly failed, leaving the audience disconnected.

Cinema Experience

Much can’t be said about this. Rather than eliciting genuine emotional responses, the audience’s reactions ranged from sporadic, satirical laughs at the characters’ obnoxious behaviors to complete indifference. The acting was perceived as unbelievable, failing to draw viewers into the story. Although a few laughs resonated from some comedic opportunities. Throughout the screening, the glow of phone screens illuminated the theater rather than the big screen, as audience members scrolled through their devices, disengaged and passive in their viewing.

Technical Aspects

The film’s technical aspects reveal a mix of creativity and inconsistency. There are moments when the camera lens offers innovative perspectives, deserving a slight nod of appreciation. Particularly, the choice of lens in certain scenes aligns well with the film’s genre, though the use of a long lens occasionally distorts character faces into caricatures, possibly unintentionally.

While attempting to infuse romance into the narrative, the film resorts to, for example, a clichéd imagery such as a damsel descending the stairs, accompanied by her lover’s awe-struck gaze. Despite the cringe factor inherent in such scenes due to their overuse in media, the deliberate lighting choices add a touch of magic, serving to underscore and perhaps satirize these tropes.

However, the inconsistency in camera angles and shots leads to confusion. The film shifts abruptly from directing our attention to characters at the periphery of the screen to employing a shallow depth of field for intimate moments, which, while commendable, fails to maintain a consistent visual language. It feels like a transition from a romance genre with an objective perspective to disjointed shots solely serving the narrative.

Oh, and we can’t forget the jarring disruption of poorly edited phone chat sequences and search results clumsily integrated into the film.

Performance

The performance is marred by lazy dialogue, particularly in the scenes where Junior and Kenny declare their love to their respective partners. It’s disheartening to witness such shallow portrayals of men, as they struggle to articulate meaningful reasons for their affection, resorting to clichéd phrases like “you’re different” or “you’re beautiful” detracting from their believability. Even more disheartening is the perpetuation of these stereotypes, as women continue to accept such mediocrity as true expressions of love. The replication of this reality within the film only reinforces these harmful notions. Additionally, the film tried to integrate three romantic narratives into its story, and for one particular relationship dynamic the chemistry was not (let me say) ‘giving.’

Additionally, the poor delivery of lines, notably evident in DJ Capello’s portrayal of Gozie, further detracts from the authenticity and impact of his performances. He probably needed better direction on his role. Nkem Owoh (Father) adds dashes of comedy, as he’s known for, with his signature humor. His character elicited laughter with his relatable portrayal of Nigerian parents. Jennifer Eliogu (Deaconess) also gave a brilliant performance which came off as natural and relatable.

The film includes actors, Sophia Chisom (Ada), Abayomi Alvin (Kenny), and Chimamanda Ukwueze.

Final Thoughts

“Uno The F in Family” fell short of expectations for a film heavily reliant on its storyline. With some adjustments to the script, the story could have been more effectively conveyed. While the narrative itself is relatable, its message failed to resonate as intended. This disconnect permeated all aspects of storytelling, from visuals to dialogue, and even to the questionable actions of the characters.

Verdict

The film’s only saving grace lies in a handful of commendable performances and visually captivating moments, although these are undermined by inconsistency, leading to miscommunication of the intended message. “Uno The F In Family” falls short of effectively conveying its theme of forgiveness and the significance of family unity, largely due to the convoluted and lazy writing and behaviors exhibited by its characters. With its lackluster execution, the film barely earns a rating of 2 out of 5, with its few redeeming qualities including moments of quality visuals, creativity, performance, and relatability.

Rating: 2/5