Las Gidi vice is a short that sets to its task stylishly and scores high on many points.
Unfortunately its lows run almost parallel. The directorial effort of Udoka Oyeka shows a lot of technical promise. All characters are lit like dreams to match the smoky haze of the location, almost an overkill, but thankfully not. The color palette reads like the recent collaboration music video for six ft featured in in Beyonce’s Lemonade Album saga.
Tajie, pretty boy with skin to his testament of fine comes to party held by his friend. Tajie keeps being referred to as a play boy but sporting his lean back tactics and prime cringe worthy lines like “what is a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?” leaves something to be desired. The female viewers are left to truly decide upon viewing, if this really in 2017 works?
The meet cute has a brief interruption that features pretty boy’s performance where upon the uttering of “fuck” we see human released from script and presto, magic. Soon the meet cure resumes with almost allusions to dominant submissive foreplay the way a non BD person assumes those flirtations go,
There are some fine surprises and typically clichéd plot developments however the short, for one of the few times in Neo Nollywood history feels like an actual short and finishes with no throwbacks or future left to the audiences vivid imagination. The cinematography in addition to the pacing and blocking work excellently to fuel the simple script. The story is told with as much exposition as it shots. Remarkably through the use of his body as a prop in the hands of dominant women, when he is pushed on a bed, when he trusts when he is wavy, clearly.
However one of the short’s strongest feats lie in its accomplished supporting cast. IK, the friend hosting the party whose apt portrayal of that cool kid we all know and meet at parties is a serious relief in the actor who plays him sans shame. Purple is a delight if for nothing else but for the prowess she brings when delivering her lines. Neo Nollywood take notes and use your talent beer, sometimes they can transcend cringe worthy lines.
Other purple shines as victim turned assaulter, something to be said for men writing fantasy versions of women’s revenge. Like my last review of Bad Market. We need more women behind the camera and not as asses in White shorts though gratuitous ultimately forgettable.
The Money shots are plenty. Perhaps this short is best enjoyed in a slightly altered mind state. The effort to bring the idea to life is owed much thanks for doing better than ever imagined. Still, notes must be taken if we are to cultivate a generation of critical viewers. See Las Gidi Vice sometime, in a group preferably, for the chance that out of one of the many comments on gender bias, perhaps a more evolved script and storyline might emerge.
WOMEN'S FILM CLUB 