A pastor is fully committed to his church and this does not go down well with his wife, who has to remind him that he is also a husband. Temptation comes and Reuben finds himself torn between his love for his wife and his devotion to the church. – Movie blurb
Kemi Williams (Chioma C. Akpotha) is the wife of the Senior Pastor Reuben Williams (Seun Akindele). After years of raising the children and assisting her husband in his ministry work, she gets a new job, and hubby would be happy for her, if he can just tear himself away from the church, night vigils and television evangelists he is so attached to. Add to that a boss (Chet Anekwe) with an on air personality’s voice, more suave than a working Don Juan, and able to lift depressed female hearts with a single smile, (superman soundtrack plays in background) and of course we get smoke, and where there’s smoke…
Now Gloria (Sylvia Oluchi) is the truant wife of Assistant Pastor Thomas who knows her destiny is to be the First Lady of the church. And there is a clique of elders that know the bible so well that they can give Saint Peter a migraine. In all, On Bended Knees is a funny yet thought provoking story. According to the ladies in the aisle behind me; ‘Many people need to watch this movie.’
On Bended Knees is the first movie to be produced by Nollywood actress Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha. And though she had a partner in Emem Isong, I’d say she has made a great debut.
Some work needs to be done on sound, and this goes for most Nigerian movies; the audio quality changes with camera angles; clear, static, clear, clear, static, and on it goes. I also make a case for young actors; although this movie fields one, there were children alluded to in the movie, but who were never seen. If we don’t let the younger actors get a head start now, very soon we will not have anyone to successfully play the twenties and early thirties parts, particularly with the tough Nigerian audience that are wary of new faces.
All said and done, this was a lovely movie, Chioma was in her element both as producer and actor, and everyone played their parts excellently, nothing overdone or exaggerated. And after you see this movie, I’m betting you’d want to see it again and again, as I overheard another viewer at the cinema murmured; ‘I shall buy the DVD when it comes out!’ I do believe I will too.
Cast: Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha, Chet Anekwe, Seun Akindele, Francis Onwochie, Chukwudi Orji, Memry Savanhu. Sylvia Oluchi.
Directed by Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen.
Produced by Chioma Chukwuka and Emem Isong
