Every Valentine’s season, people on social media resurrect a jocular song, “Valentine’s is coming, where’s your boyfriend? Will you be single or be married?” The seasonal song makes for great fun, we accept, but for some people, it is a genuine worry. For our lead characters in The Counsellor, Aisha and Gbenro, questions about love and the genuineness of their partners’ feelings lead to a breakup one week before St. Valentine’s Day. For them, the mocking song adds more salt to their injuries.
Aisha (Teniola Aladese) and Gbenro (David Okpo Eyo), better halves to two other people, get the dreaded breakup speech a week before Valentine’s Day. Still sulking, they independently attend a couples’ holiday that was already scheduled before their respective relationships came to an end. During the trip, when they offer the same excuses for not engaging in the activities, Andikan, the resort manager played by Uzoamaka Aniunoh, politely suggests that they team up to participate in the activities. This thoughtful suggestion changes their lives forever. Almost immediately, they fall in love and you spend their 3-day stay at the resort embarrassed by the cheesiness of their sudden romance.
Three months after their first meeting, Gbenro proposes to Aisha. Because this is about 30 minutes into the film, you begin to wonder what the rest of the time will be spent doing. Thankfully, the writers have enough up their sleeves to surprise us.
For the first time in the film, the lovebirds are met by opposition from Gbenro’s mother, who thinks her only child is rushing into marriage with someone he barely knows. She will only consent to the marriage if the couple attends a 7-day Couple’s Compatibility Retreat with the renowned marriage counsellor, Dr. Cynthia Oladimeji, who is thankfully a breath of fresh air from the jheri curl-sporting counsellor from the Valentines thriller, The Silent Intruder.
Much like many great works of art, The Counsellor holds a mirror to our own experiences. Like the 2021 drama series Scenes From A Marriage, we witness a seemingly compatible couple unravel before our eyes. The narrative is strikingly concise, meticulously crafted, and substantial. It avoids the pitfalls of laziness or shallowness. If likened to food, it leaves your palate satisfied from start to finish.
The Counsellor offers a refreshing and practical take on love and the season’s sweet romance. Its thorough exploration of compatibility beyond the initial honeymoon phase sets it apart in a new and welcomed way. Fortunately, it’s not merely fleeting moments in an adviser’s office or a quick progression or regression of the couple; instead, ample time is devoted to delving into the story until it reaches a complete resolution. Moreover, It doesn’t just focus on the newfound love during the season, but life after, and goes in-depth on what it might take to live together with someone you’re in deep love with.
The actors are a refreshing blend of both familiar and fresh faces. Teni Aladese delivers what it means to be an eager girl who just wants to love. Starring opposite Aladese is David Eyo who is committed and honest in his performance. Together, they have enough chemistry to sell their love story. And even though Uzoamaka Aniunoh mispronounces her character’s name during an introduction, she is a delight to watch. A thought crossed my mind while watching her: this is a resort and she plays the good-natured manager. Perhaps she could feature in a Nigerian iteration of the show, The White Lotus.
The Counsellor is interesting in a somewhat understated manner. This might stem from its in-depth exploration of an unusual film theme—compatibility. Often, movies depict love and romance in overly dramatic or tragic ways, rarely delving into the more mundane aspects like compatibility. In this sense, it echoes the approach of the beloved series “Normal People,” which is both great and ordinary. Pearl Agwu’s intentions as the writer are clearly conveyed, earning appreciation for the extensive treatment of this everyday subject. However, its strengths also reveal weaknesses; its thoroughness can sometimes border on didacticism, almost resembling a “how-not-to” guide.
With David Eyo delivering a standout performance, The Counsellor holds promise. As the second film this year centered on counselling in romantic relationships, it is certainly notable. This fresh perspective might just introduce a new trend to the romance genre, potentially heralding an era of exploring how relationships flourish. Looking forward to seeing more of David Eyo’s captivating performances in the future.
The Counsellor premiered on Showmax, on February 9th, 2024.
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Side Musings
- The disparity between the impact of the counsellor’s work and the reality of her marriage is a testament to the saying that who dey cry dey see road.
- The proposal although sweet, is awkward; why is the breakfast tray floating atop the water while the couple is almost covered to the neck?
- There were a few instances where characters used internet-speak that were uncomfortable to listen to.
- Sometimes the film played out like a real recording of people’s lives, it had me looking up the counsellor’s name to see if she was a real person with a real business.
