Lionheart movie review: Genevieve Nnaji’s film, Netflix's first Nigerian original, entertains even as it informs

Lionheart, Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji’s directorial debut, is the first Netflix original film produced in Nigeria. She plays the lead role and is credited as a co-writer as well. The production and the story revolve around her. Hence, it’s noteworthy that the film never sinks into a vanity project. Nnaji takes pains to show that the journey her Adaeze undertakes to claw out of the hole she’s pushed into, couldn’t have been possible without the help and wisdom of others. Adaeze is a resilient, intelligent, courageous, kind and focused young woman. But she is aware she’d need all these qualities and more to succeed as a businesswoman in a deeply patriarchal society. And she would never be able to do it alone. When her ailing father appoints his eccentric brother Godswill as the head of his transport company instead of her, Adaeze is distraught. Her complaints are brushed away by her parents. They assure her that uncle is there simply to smooth her passage towards replacing her father at the helm. It fails to satisfy her. But she reluctantly agrees to work with Godswill holding the reins. The filmmaking to this point is riddled with tonal confusion. Nnaji is going for a light-hearted and sober approach to the material at hand. But the uninspired choice of background music lets her down. It fails to complement the comic moments, thrusting them into the audience’s face. The comic moments themselves seem ridiculously out of place within an otherwise enjoyable drama. [caption id=“attachment_6774561” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Lionheart, Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji’s directorial debut, is the first Netflix original film produced in Nigeria[/caption] Thankfully, the moment Lionheart, the company, is hurled into a loan based crisis, Nnaji establishes a firmer grip over the material. Adaeze and Godswill learn that they have 30 days to return a massive loan undertaken by her father, failing which they’d leave Lionheart vulnerable to a hostile takeover by an opportunistic rival. A sense of urgency is injected into a hitherto bland story. Nnaji gradually sucks the viewer in with her resilient attempts at saving her father’s legacy. Disappointment and opportunism await her at every turn. She learns valuable life and business lessons while overcoming them and moving forward nonetheless. Temptation dangles its low-lying fruit more than once. Godswill’s effervescent and wise personality by her side, she learns to yield to it only at the right moment. It is a typical hero(ine’s) journey straight out of Thomas Campbell’s guidebook. But it is made with a sobering, enjoyable earnestness. It pricks ever so slightly but effectively at the failings of Nigerian society to provide a nourishing environment for its women. Adaeze is rich. But she still needs a private security car tailing her during her early morning run. Moreover, no amount of money can shield her from lascivious stares and being underestimated by men. Nnaji navigates through the warp and weft of this society with finesse. She makes a film about a world she inhabits and understands. She never pretends to boast of an expansive, layered comprehension of her country. And it serves her well. Lionheart is meant to reach out to audiences everywhere. It is the work of a filmmaker growing in confidence with every scene throughout the film. She never strives for greatness with her film. She seeks to entertain; and inform while at it. A lot goes wrong, especially earlier on — signs of a director slowly coming to terms with the scale of her endeavour. But Lionheart leaves you with a warm, comforting feeling at the end. It urges you to believe in the ultimate reward awaiting a good person who sets out to do the right thing with a big heart and an open mind. You will be tested, tried and thrown into the arms of despair, it says, but you must stick to your path. And Lionheart says it with such earnestness that you take its word for it. Rating: ★★★ and a 1/4 Lionheart is streaming on Netflix. Watch it here: