If you are typically not in the habit of going to the cinema to see Nollywood films, the coming of Netflix and other streaming platforms often seem like a much-needed solution. Often. But then, there are times like now that it feels like a bit of a curse because it presents an opportunity to see train-wrecks audiences that might have been otherwise avoided. The Ghost and the Tout Too is sadly an example of the latter. New to Netflix, the Michael Akinrogunde-directed film, The Ghost and the Tout Too, is a sequel to the 2018 movie, The Ghost and the Tout.
The storyline follows Isla (Toyin Abraham) who can see and communicate with ghosts and her best friend Maka (Mercy Johnson Okojie) who doubles as a sidekick. In this sequel, Isla fully becomes a messenger for the dead, helping ghosts who have matters to settle with the living and in turn, she gets compensated for her aid. Eventually, she meets Amoke (Osas Ighodaro), a semi-ghost trapped in limbo. Neither dead nor alive, she’s in a coma and has a few days to live, she must find her killer before time runs out. The rest of the movie is hinged on Isla helping her find the culprit who poisoned her.
The Ghost and the tout too movie trailer. Credit: YouTube
The plot seems easy and engaging enough, right? But it is chock full of inappropriate slapstick comedy at points that are downright offensive to the otherwise more serious moments of the movie. If the characters cannot take their predicament seriously, why should the audience? The entire plot has long, drawn-out scenes where it felt like the director was actually pausing the story so the audience could laugh a la sitcom but without any of the humour.
The Ghost and the Tout Too is an attempt at combining the paranormal with comedy.
Although not all the acting in the movie is noteworthy, Mercy Johnson Okojie as Maka is a natural. She provides some genuine laughs here and there and her chemistry with Isla makes them the magical pair that lights up the screenplay. Isla herself leaves a bit more to be desired. Deyemi Okanlawon also portrays his role as “Ricardo” quite well, the scenes where he features have some of the most commendable acting in the movie.
The comedy feels like it is being forced on the viewers and in most cases it feels like a distraction from the storyline. There are several loopholes in the plot and as a result, viewers are left with unanswered questions, one of which is the scene where Amoke seems to have no recollection of Isla but shows up out of the blue at Isla’s door with Maka and a surprise, suddenly remembering who Isla is. The storyline could have been better explained and given more room to develop.
A lot of scenes were unnecessary and most of the necessary scenes dragged on too long and made going through the movie feel less of a joy and more of a chore. The end actually makes the movie into more of a confounding mess. It felt like a Hail Mary attempt to just wrap things up quickly.
The only high point in this film is the smooth blend of Yoruba, Igbo, Pidgin, and English, which are used interchangeably in a way that is not jarring to its audience. And if the audience has to squint to look for the fine points of a movie, well! To be fair to this film it is much better than the first part but much better, in this case, is hard to classify as good.
If slapstick comedies are your thing, this is a movie to add to your list. It might not be classified as a stand-out movie but one way or the other, it is sure to give you a good laugh. Check it out on Netflix.
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.
