The Perfect Arrangement is an Inkblot product directed by Chinaza Onuzo and co-produced by Chinaza Onuzo, Zulumoke Oyibo, with Eku Edewor. It features Tade (Sharon Ooja) who finds himself in a conundrum, between a rock and a hard place. Meanwhile, he is unable to decide either way because making himself happy might mean the ruin of his entire family, the people he loves the most in the world.
Tade, an accomplished but flighty fashion executive with ties to a respected political family in Lagos, finds herself in a dilemma. She has some unexplored feelings for her best friend Cheta (Pere Egbi) and finds herself in an arranged marriage in a bid to save her family from bankruptcy with Chidi (Bovi), a political star and gubernatorial candidate and her ex-boyfriend, who she still has feelings for.
Chidi decides that she isn’t good enough to be the wife of a governor and so, the relationship initially ends. He finds his way back to her when he is rocked by scandal. Things get a bit complicated when Tade finds out that Chidi and Cheta are brothers.
We are back to the rom-com staple that runs over in Nollywood. It’s been a good couple of weeks break from this overdone genre but Billy eventually always circles back. As far as romcoms go, this isn’t a bad one. It’s not an outstanding one either but it is better than average. The shots are beautiful, some scenes are enjoyable and believable, and it definitely satisfies the rom-com genre by Nigerian standards.
Sharon Ooja did the best she could with the material she was given and put on a commendable performance. Bovi and Pere Egbi gave okay performances too. The premise of the story itself was questionable though, as an audience, it is easy to wonder why Tade thinks an arranged marriage was the best option to bail her family out of a certain disaster.
There might have been other more viable options available besides tying herself to a man she is so unsure of. The character development is also very questionable. A lot of the characters are not, dare we say, fully formed.
Tade flutters from a smart go-getting woman to an airhead with harebrained schemes; Chidi did not at any point in the film look or act like a gubernatorial aspirant though that might have been a costume department problem more than an acting problem, and Cheta, we just never really get to know a lot about him. Who is he? What does he do for a living? Where is the substance of the character?
The cinematography is top-notch as usual, though the drone shots are a bit much. The scenes are vivid, giving the audience a front-row seat to the lives of the characters. A definite plus for the movie.
The Perfect Arrangement has more flaws than strengths. Ultimately, it is not a bad watch. It is an enjoyable, though slightly forgettable film. If Nollywood rom coms are your thing, go check it out.
Didi Dan-Asisah is an art enthusiast and critic. She lives in Lagos.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
