Desperate Ambition 

Hank Anuku, Femi Brainard, Vaughan Akpochi, Yemi Blaq, David Uba, Chioma Chukwuka, Monalisa Chinda, etc.

Priscilia Amba

Abbey Esho

Mike Nliam

Director: Osita Okoli

Sometimes one sees a Nollywood movie and feels so shortchanged and disgusted at what the wishy-washy product viewers are fed in exchange for a hard-earned money.

At other times it is a completely different ball game, and one is filled with the hope that some day Nigerian movies will hit the quality that competes for Oscars.

Desperate Ambition fills us with such feeling this week.

The viewer might not necessarily be enthralled with the dramatics, but chances that many would be taken in by the plot and how some of the intrigues play out is very high.

The nucleus of the whole drama might sound archaic, but in reality, they still exist in our society. Two mutual friends decided to strengthen the bond of friendship between them; they formed a business venture, which grows into an empire. Before death knocked on their doors, they agreed that in order not to lose all they sweated for to one gypsy, their children should marry so that the two families would become one.

Of course, man proposes, God disposes, says the popular adage, and that gives rise to the conflict.

Martha’s daughter, Monique, waited for many years for Janice’s son to complete his university education at Oxford so they could marry as planned by their now late fathers and supported by their mothers; but Alex doesn’t seem to buy the idea. Rather, another girl, Lisa, had struck him in a rather inauspicious way.

The drama revolves in a circle as Lisa’s brother, a car thief, hooks up with his university days’ friend, who has now become the Superintendent of Police in the same neighborhood where Bosco, Lisa’s brother and his gang operates.

The tempo heightens when Lisa is encouraged to play all sorts of tricks to get Alex to like her. Alex grew fonder of Lisa, but didn’t know that the Lisa he sees is not the real naÔve girl from an indigent background.

The drama is better seen than explained, which is why this review would not suffice for a recant of what played out in the movie.

Desperate Ambition grossed more plaudits with the way the scenes were arranged such that on occasions, Lisa is almost caught in her act by an unsuspecting Alex. First, at the fast foods joint she works, and then on their first date together. On the other hand, too, Alex is oblivious of the fact that what he thought were chance meetings were deliberately planned to happen.

For Chioma Chukwuka, it was a good outing. The way she carried the role is commendable.

As for new kid on the block, Femi Blaq, it is difficult to draw a line between his act in Domino and what he put up in Desperate Ambition. There is no remarkable difference. We would not want to imagine that he finds Chioma Chukwuka’s clout intimidating, or her role delivery too much to match because in one or two scenes he showed timidity of character.

He did the same thing at the date scene with Monique. One expects that, as the man, he should take charge. He knows the hangout – at least from the pictures viewers are fed – and he had been there a couple of times; but rather than being in control, with a submissive lady like Monique for that matter, he ‘sheepishly tagged’ along with her.

Yet again, beyond the accent and the candor he is known for, the confidence or airs of one who studied abroad was glaringly absent in his outing in Desperate Ambition.

After all, we are confident to say the flick is one of the worth seeing and we make bold to add that countless other celebrated movies would not gross one-tenth of the credits the movie gets.