That Exhilarating Good-Guys-Gone-Bad Action-Comedy, Called Money Miss Road…

Yinka Olatunbosun 

As film buffs grab their popcorn packs and seats at the cinema, they obviously hope that the buzz around the new flick directed by Obi Emelonye is as good as the production itself. Since July 22, when Money Miss Road hit the cinemas, the veil has been lifted on yet another story of villainy with an unexpected ending. The well-crafted plot featured the veteran actor and non-conformist entertainer Charly Boy in a supporting role that almost trumped the lead role.

The plot, built on the story of the struggles, dreams, and drive of two friends, Josiah (Josh2funny) and Joseph (Jide Achufusi), whose chance encounter with Diokpa (Charly Boy), a ruthless criminal kingpin, is a survivalist narrative.

The characters’ haunted journey would spell a life of coincidence, luxury, and misery as their rat race begins. With Money Miss Road, Nollywood records yet another example of a great picture. With the power of good lighting and set design, the director delivered a fascinating set of undistracting reels.

Anyone who had seen Charly Boy in the series King of Boys 2 would be compelled to think of the legendary actor as an example of a stock character. His slowly-delivered speech always seems like an anti-climax to the well-costumed character and the action he brings on screen. Maybe he shouldn’t speak so that the menacing persona is not punctured by weak lines, slow pacing, and predictable camera angles.

The choice of location for Josiah and Joseph’s lives in the trenches is juxtaposed with the good life to make the viewer empathise with them for doing the unthinkable to get rich. But can they manage the sudden change in financial status? The director provides an answer as the story evolves into a linear account of multiple but related events that make the story relatable.

The pace of the chase in the movie is perhaps its Achilles’ heel – a steady movement of leather-wearing men in black is simply not enough to convey urgency and desperation. But that could be laughed over, maybe. After all, it is just comedy.

The producer, Joy Efe Odiete, who is also the CEO of Blue Pictures, described the action-comedy film cast as “a combination rarely seen in Nigerian cinemas as seen from the trajectory and history of the box office. ‘Money Miss Road’ is a buffet served with a lot for everyone to chew on, seeing all that has been going on in the country today.”

In regards to the movie’s technical depth, the director, Emelonye, who has shot Nollywood blockbusters like Last Flight to Abuja, Mirror Boy, Oxford Garden, and BADAMASI, says in a prelude to the movie: “The film was shot on an Arri Alexa mini using high quality prime lenses. The Director of Photography was Biola Oke. Although most of the action in the film happens at night, we wanted to use that to create a really dark cinematic mood for the film, although the subject matter is light and comedic. This played into the thriller elements of the film and the tense, edge of your seat rhythm of the chase scenes. If you liked films like Rush Hour and Bad Boys then you’ll love Money Miss Road. “

Filmed on locations in Abuja and Lagos, it took three weeks to shoot all the scenes in Money Miss Road, which has Odinaka Emmanuel Offia as its executive producer.