We are in the age of skits and skit makers are not only bringing in the big bucks, they have hundreds of thousands and, sometimes, millions of views and a dedicated following. It’s only a matter of time before other kinds of media and entertainment seek to tap into this previously overlooked audience. Today, we focus on the Udoka Oyeka-directed comedy, The Razz Guy, one such attempt to tap into that genre.
Temi Johnson, the main character, is played by skit-maker Lasisi Elenu, whose actual name is Nosa Afolabi. He is an Associate-Lawyer who derives a sinister satisfaction from picking out grammatical blunders people around him make, a trait that does not exactly make him much loved.
But the magic of film has a great way of dishing instant karma. It comes as an old cleaner played by Frank Donga, who enters Temi’s office and asks him if he believes in superstition, immediately following this question he snaps his fingers and Temi falls asleep for two days. When he wakes up, he is suddenly unable to speak proper English like he used to. Thereafter, we are left with a grammatically insecure Temi. Cursed with a punishment that he deserves, he is forced to go through a process that puts him in touch with his empathetic side.
The Razz Guy Movie trailer. Credit: YouTube
Egbamawei Dimiyei Sammy and Africa Ukoh did an amazing job with this story. The beauty of the storyline lies in the epiphany that karma truly exists. It is also super relatable and is laced in between with morals. The family-friendly comedy is accompanied by a clear-cut plot that comes together nicely.
Nosa Afolabi executes his role well in his first shot at official acting. As expected by his fans, he manages to keep his audience engaged with drama, body language and dialogue, and also manages to pull off a comical yet natural performance. Broda Shaggi (Dare) and Bucci Franklin (Agbero) are stellar performers; their acting is original and the roles are nearly perfect. The trio – Temi, Dare and Agbero, are the spice of the movie, the comic relief. Shalewa Ashafa is also a delight to see on screen; she plays her character well.
Thumbs up to the camera crew. The cinematography is great too, from camera angles to the shots. It all helps buttress the general comedic theme of the movie.
There will always be aspects that fall short.
One of which is the focus is heavily reliant on maintaining a comic feel that in some scenes the movie seems to have forgotten the storyline. A typical example is the scene where the Pastor (Mc Lively) is seen beating up Temi. The question is, “WHY?!”
Keeping with the pattern of Nollywood is the tendency of directors to add unnecessary scenes to a movie. There were a tonne of scenes the movie could have done without, which is not what would be naturally expected from a 98-minute movie.
The biggest misstep of them all has to be the title, The Razz Guy, not tallying in any way with the script. Temi losing his eloquence in English did not automatically make him razz.
Nancy Isime as Nadine just was not convincing. The same vibe is given off by Ireti Doyle’s acting as Nadine’s Aunt. It felt as though the movie could have done without her character.
Despite its hard-to-ignore flaws, The Razz Guy is a great movie to see with family and friends. It is a comedy produced not just to make viewers laugh out loud but also to teach morals. It delivers several lessons on family and acceptance. Be sure to give this unique take on comedy a watch!
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.
