Robert was a man who used blackmail to get what he wanted and it worked for him. He used blackmail to marry Davina and he used blackmail to keep Davina married to him.
He also despised her, beating her at the slightest provocation. His maltreatment of her turned her into a drunk.
Davina was alive but she wasn’t living.
She had two sons: one hated her (Ben) and the other adored her and wanted to save her (Tom). Ben worshipped the ground his father walked on – well, his stepfather, but he didn’t know that. But Robert did, though.
Robert made sure that he used Ben to do the things Tom (his biological child) refused to do. Robert wanted to use Ben to secure his political position by making Ben marry his ally’s daughter, Rita (the dishevelled devil).
Ben had a woman he already loved and was ready to marry, Cynthia, but because she was from a humble background, Robert determined her “unworthy”.
Cynthia had a secret; she was a journalist working on a hit piece on Robert and when her heart was broken by Ben, she wrote the exposé.
Finding out that the man he adored was not his father, shattered Ben, and then finding out that his real father was THE HELP made it even worse.
In the end, Robert got what was coming to him and Ben, despite saving Cynthia’s life, couldn’t bring himself to date her anymore.
Thoughts
The positives
The story was complex.
A lot was going on to drive the plot, making for a compelling and interesting watch.
Alex Cross / Zack Orji
Alex Cross as a young Zack Orji, was a very, very wise decision.
They went outside
Although 95% of the action happens inside a house, it was nice that they made the effort to go outside and go to a restaurant.
The older actors stole the show
Even though everyone’s acting was good, the older actors (Zack Orji and Shaffy Bello) stole the show.
The ending
Ending it with Ben and Cynthia not rekindling their romance was a smart decision.
The negatives
Rita
Rita’s story was never given a proper conclusion, it ended abruptly.
Ebuka and Joyce
Ebuka’s reasons for dating Joyce were not clear enough. It had zero impact on the story.
“Just because we are not brothers anymore”
I don’t know if it was intentional or bad writing, but Ben telling Tom that they aren’t brothers anymore left a sour taste in my mouth. What do you mean you are not brothers anymore? You share the same DNA – well, half of it.
The 1940s camera
Davina and Robert first met in 1976 when Robert was still a photographer. Why was he using a 1940s camera?
Cast
Zack Orji as Robert
Alex Cross as Young Robert
Shaffy Bello as Davina
Stan Nze as Tom
Uzor Arukwe as Ben
Odera Olivia Orji as Cynthia
Blessing Obasi as Joyce
Bolaji Ogunmola as Rita
Moc Madu as Ebuka
Crew
Story: Stan Nze and Abdul TJ
Screenplay: Abdul TJ
Editor: Akinlolu Makinde
Associate Producer: Blessing Obasi
Producer: Stanley Nzediegwu
Director: Tope Alake