After my usual weekend Kung-fu movie, I had the opportunity to watch the new Shirley Frimpong Manso movie-LOVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT and I will start by saying; that it’s a significant story of life that is well tackled.
I am not a keen proponent of the assumption that every story has been told—but I certainly believe that, a story is only good when the storyteller is exceptionally passionate about the subject matter and has priceless cause of telling that particular story—which is to make a realistic impact.
I have long predicted and in a way hoped for a change in the improbable manner the African HIV/AIDS story has been told by many African film-makers. Interestingly, Shirley Frimpong Manso has taken up the challenge to tell the story in a way that is pulsing to the heart—and captivating to the mind in her latest movie-LOVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I am yet to meet a single person who is not a party to the general consensus that education on HIV/AIDS in Africa, though has improved over the years, continues to be largely ineffective—and apart from blaming certain religious teachings such as “Aids is bad but not as bad as the use of condoms” for the ineffective outreach, the architecture employed for the purpose of mass education on this diabolical disease seems not to be working.
Many movies and documentaries have taken up the subject of creating HIV/AIDS awareness and in doing so; have failed to make impact with their messages simply because of the manner in which the stories are told—without substantially taking into consideration the societal changes and mannerisms that cannot be ignored in order to bring the story to the hearts of the receivers.
The Storyline & the Pace
Though the theme of the script is set on ‘HIV/AIDS’, the film brilliantly tells the story in such a way that, it does not only steal the best part of your emotions—and it doesn’t do so by invoking ‘sorrowfulness’, but by making you consider the fact that there is unimaginable value in being self conscious when it comes to sex.
Just like most well put together HIV/AIDS stories or films which take the bold approach into exploring the issues of life-threatening diseases like Cancer, the film is filled with emotions. In fact, the film which at large is themed on HIV/AIDS faintly deals with Cancer, without necessarily losing sequence and direction.
I’ve seen several African film-makers and even those outside Africa taking up the HIV/AIDS story from different angels and worldview, but this knocks me at home and presents a far better realistic way of how events unfold when the unwanted subject of HIV/AIDS finds its way into an African marriage/relationship.
Without giving much away, I must say the film starts on a very slow note—which I believe was deliberately set to pull viewers into seeing the existing love, affection and sense of belonging that existed between John Dumelo’s character-Mr Walker and his wife-Joselyn Dumas (Kwarley Mettle).
Soon as the foundation of love and bond between the above two are visibly established, the film begins to speed up—but not as much as I would have preferred. Surely, watching the movie immediately after a Kung-fu movie may have caused a heightened adrenaline, probably, the reason why I found it slow.
Music
It is obvious Shirley Frimpong Manso and her team understood the nature and emotions involved in the story being told. Sparrow Productions’ films have always made good use of a collection of African songs but mostly, these songs compliment scenes or add that extra bit of entertainment to the movies while pulling back your attention.
However, the songs used in LOVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT went beyond the usual, the songs stabilized the emotionally filled story—-bumping up the pace and dropping in the needed energy intermittently.
I’m not the type to hear a track and jump up to dance but even though I was fully submerged in the ‘rough emotional journey’ the film was taking me, when the songs which were from the likes of Raquel, Okyeame Kwame and Efya were dropped, I caught myself immersed in the music—for a minute, and then the story hits back to the emotion.
To me, the interruption of the emotional ‘downs’ by these carefully selected songs make the viewer stay put as a viewer and not become a sympathiser, thereby, taking in the lessons and education/awareness the story is creating. If that is what the film-makers wanted to do, then it was perfectly achieved. If that wasn’t it—-I would proudly say, so was the effect for me.
Acting
When you have A-listers like John Dumelo, Joselyn Dumas and OC Ukeje championing a story and delivering their lines, backed by many years of experience under the directorship of a multiple-award winning director-Shirley Frimpong Manso, you should not expect less—because you won’t even get that if you wished for it.
The acting was outstanding—and I say this because none of the scenes throws a taint at the story, which would make you question any part of the delivery.
When emotions were involved, Joselyn Dumas was great at showing that, and it could just be that she was living her role—as she seems naturally emotional.