Director: Dolapo ‘LowlaDee’ Adeleke
Writer: Jessica Abaga
Cast: Ade Laoye, Ademola Adedoyin, Bukola Oladipupo, Olubanwo Demi, Bassey Okon, Tina Mba, Osagie Solomon
Genre: Romance
Runtime: 59 minutes 58 seconds
Year: 2017
With one ovary gone, and the other soon to go, it becomes urgent for a young caterer (Ade Laoye as Samantha) to find a man, marry him, and have children. Her parents, played by Bassey Okon and a theatrically unfunny Tina Mba, finally succeed in helping her secure a ready husband (Olubanwo Demi), regardless of her stance. Unaware she’d found love with another man (Demola Adedoyin as Jide), the marriage preparations eventually lands everyone in a situation.
The story-line for You Me Maybe did a good job cutting to the chase, leaving no room for unnecessary scenes. But for a romance, the falling in love process was grossly unfulfilling. Creating conflict took more credence than carving a mind blowing affair. The background sounds, lots of which reminded me of LowlaDee’s This is It, went on for nearly forever, not caring to pause during a serious conversation.
For someone traumatized by bad news and a recent surgery, Samantha started the affair with Jide sooner than was logical. Demola Adedoyin was cast as a busy man, solely responsible for a fully staffed company. Why did that change when Samantha met him the second time? All of a sudden he had time to flirt and arrange a house visit. His costumes were also confusing. Alternating between formal and casual appearances (while at work) didn’t work. That an outfit would match an actor’s physique doesn’t excuse matching his vocation.
As a restitution for what seemed like a hurried love story, I expected the first kiss to be more passionate, at least for the camera. Sadly the director thought otherwise, shooting it briefly in a car with the most unhelpful angles. And even though the makeup (by Ajibola Mojisola) was markedly impressive, Ade Laoye still carried the same hairstyle (packing it differently every now and then) from start to finish.
Shot by Gbenga Gomez and directed by Dolapo ‘LowlaDee’ Adeleke, this film is much ado over conflict than an intimate connection, with nothing out of the ordinary to deserve a rousing applause.
You Me Maybe is rated 5/10.
