‘Fifty’

To most mainstream media, 50 is an age so far over the hill it hardly bears discussion in magazines, in cinema or on television. Even rarer is a narrative about four successful African women making their way through their dreaded half century with the kind of drama one usually wades wildly through in one’s 20s.

Starring Ireti Doyle, Dakore Akande, Omoni Oboli and Nse Ikpe-Etim as four 50-year-old women living and loving in Lagos, ‘Fifty’ (2015) paints a complex and compelling picture of life in the Nigerian capital through the exposition of issues affecting a host of mature businesswomen.

Elizabeth, a celebrated obstetrician estranged from her daughter and with a taste for cradle snatching. Maria, a mistress whose menopause hasn’t wreaked as much havoc on her menstrual cycle as the age of 49 would suggest. Tola, a reality TV star whose distressing past haunts what looks like a perfect present. And Kate whose denial buries her in Bibles and late night prayer meetings.

Buoyed by a power ensemble of celebrated Nollywood actresses and directed by novelist and filmmaker Biyi Bandele who garnered considerable acclaim for directing the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ‘Half of A Yellow Sun,’ the film looks good, is well acted but is a little erratic when it comes to pace.

Mishandling a huge reveal while dragging less consequential scenes on a little too long, ‘Fifty’ makes up for what it lacks in timing with the sheer candour of its subject matter. Not shy to discuss issues of familial rape and infidelity while zooming in on the eternal debate of faith versus good old medical attention, ‘Fifty’ is adamant in its assertion that life does not, in fact, end after 30.

Instead it is as complicated as it ever was. A thing of lost love, secrets uncovered but also of confidence and success. Black African women’s success in one of the most vibrant cities on the continent.

With the male characters situated firmly in the background, ‘Fifty’ ditches the damsel in the distress, the blesser and the marriage as holy grail narratives to showcase more alternative and realistic eventualities such as divorce, disease and the determined facing of reality, the past and the present.

Sober, sincere and serving up cameos from some of Nigeria’s finest including Femi Kuti, Nneka, King Sunny Ade, Tiwa Savage and Waje, ‘Fifty’ is not only a celebration of strong, successful African women but of Lagos itself. Beyond the oft seen nightlife, drug scene and poverty porn.

‘Fifty’ (2015) is now streaming on Netflix. The streaming programme offers a free trial month with the option to cancel the service after 30 days or at any time thereafter.

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