MOVIE REVIEW: In Bed With The Pedros; another Nollywood film that ignores potential of solid storytelling

Movie Title: In Bed with the Pedros

Release Date: 15 August 2023

Director: Niyi Towolawi

Runtime: 1 hour, 29 minutes

Cast: Ademola Adedoyin, Adunni Ade, Yemi Solade, Akin Lewis, and Rahama Sadau.

Before the film’s release, producers must ask themselves the following questions: Who is the audience for this film? Is the script creative enough? Can the selected actors deliver the best performance? Is the script captivating enough? Does the cinematography suit the setting? Lastly, is the script persuasive enough? Notice the emphasis on “scripting.”

There are countless Nigerian films released in cinemas and on streaming platforms that boast a strong concept but fail to deliver on the story’s progression. In other words, they have a unique synopsis that interests viewers; however, a few minutes into watching such a film, a disappointed expression becomes synonymous with viewers’ faces.

In Bed with the Pedros is an excellent example of one of the abovementioned films. The premises promise to take viewers on a journey with a couple who accidentally kill someone during a night out. Several scenarios could have played out with such a fantastic idea, but the writer chose to play it safe, giving us a watered-down version of the adventure promised in the summary.

In Bed with the Pedros doesn’t only fall victim to lacklustre writing but also delivers below-par cinematography, sound quality, and acting performances from the entire cast.

The Plot

Hauwa and Jide Pedro are married and appear to be deeply in love with each other. One night, the couple accidentally hit a young woman returning from an event. Panic and fear wash over them as they argue about what to do. Hauwa suggests they rush the lady to the hospital, but Jide dismisses her, pointing out that his senatorial position can be jeopardised and that they could go to jail. With this established consequence, they flee the scene.

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Hauwa, guilt-stricken, begins to act out, hinting that she wants to go to the police. Jide, scared of what his wife might do, opens up to his father. His father takes matters into his own hands by silencing Hauwa’s friend, who was let in on a snippet of the accident. Femi’s father intimidates Hauwa to stay silent, thus causing her to flee.

Jide visits Hauwa, begging her to return, which she agrees to. Unfortunately, as soon as she gets home, she is drugged and locked up in a mental hospital.

Meanwhile, it is revealed that the young lady they killed was the daughter of a famous barrister. Hauwa later escapes the hospital and meets up with the barrister. Before she can confess, she is captured by the nurses from the mental institution. The barrister, confused about the scene, notices a note dropped by Hauwa that partially reveals what’s going on.

He facilitates Hauwa’s release, and they team up to end Pedros’ “corrupt” reign.

The Good

The film delivers its fair share of drama as characters try to escape a crime. This allows viewers to be on the edge of their seats, particularly with the flash-forward opening where we see Femi visibly shaken while talking on TV. It creates anticipation to know the events leading up to that moment.

The locations are also quite applaudable, adding a sense of realism to the film. For example, the television station’s surroundings mirror several high-profile media houses.

The Bad

The secret to a good film, irrespective of its budget, primarily relies on its writing. In Bed with the Pedros suffers from unprofessional writing. Many scenes don’t seem to add up, and the ones that do get ruined by unbelievable action. For example, when Hauwa escapes from the hospital, she finds a drawer filled with money. The hospital staff can also conveniently find her at the barrister’s office.

In bed with the Pedros’ unsavoury attempt at scriptwriting, it cannot be saved by its cinematography. The camera movements were underwhelming and failed to capture the essence of each scene. It did not further help that the lighting was unflattering on the actors’ skin. The sound quality was also unimpressive, as it was easy to hear buzzing in the background.

Despite a moderate lineup of talented actors, the acting performances are flat and cringe-worthy. While poor scripting can largely be blamed, the actors, both principal and supporting, hesitated to give their best. Whether it was Yemi Solade, who lacked the range to portray a grieving father, or the reporter, whose terrible execution of an interview gives journalism a bad name, the characters appeared as if they were monotonously reading the lines of the script while offering sloopy body movements.

Final Verdict

2/10. In Bed with the Pedros is another low-budget Nollywood film that ignores the potential of laying more emphasis on solid storytelling rather than using financial limitations as an excuse for poor-quality content.

In Bed with the Pedros is now streaming on Prime Video.