By Cynthia Ugbe
Watching Desmond Elliot's movie In The Cupboard reminded me of John Grisham's
novel The Testament. The stinkingly rich Desouza family is archetypal of
the Troyfelan family in The Testament. Both families have issues. Issues
that find their way back to childhood. In both stories, the siblings never grew
up together. Growing up in the family was simply a formality. The real life
existed out there. All they needed was wait, wait till they came of age and
phew! Off they went to different parts of the world, only to return when the
old man died. You know the drill with stories like this? Home coming aint
exactly like family reunion! Why? Old wounds are reopened, egos clash,
conflict of interests ensue, greed, secrets... the list could stretch on! Shades
of the typical spoilt rich kid syndrome. Talking on the title of the movie,
Director Desmond Elliot says it could have been Skeletons in the cupboard!
Changed it on second thought.. now, in the cupboard is cool but Skeletons in
the cupboard? You're right! Desmond Elliot got lucky on that one!
Okay. To the scoop of the movie. The six Desouza siblings are
gathered with their mother, the elegant Veronica 'Ronnie’ Desouza ( Biola
Williams) after the death of their father to hear the old man's will. They have come back from different parts of the world. There is a lot of salivating going on. Of course you can't see it but it's in their eyes when they look at each other and at the envelope containing the will. They all want a share of the old mans booty!
The will is a bag of secrets.
It hits every one like a bullet!
First is the startling revelation that Tega the second son is not a Desouza! Imagine having to find out that your family is not your real family! All hell is let loose when this secret is revealed! But it is just the beginning! More skeletons abound in the cupboard. What follows is a twisting and thickening plot that gets deeper and deeper until all members of the Desouza family are swimming neck deep in it... including their lawyer! The Desouza fortune had become a looming cloud over them.. threatening to tear the family apart!
Williams) after the death of their father to hear the old man's will. They have come back from different parts of the world. There is a lot of salivating going on. Of course you can't see it but it's in their eyes when they look at each other and at the envelope containing the will. They all want a share of the old mans booty!
The will is a bag of secrets.
It hits every one like a bullet!
First is the startling revelation that Tega the second son is not a Desouza! Imagine having to find out that your family is not your real family! All hell is let loose when this secret is revealed! But it is just the beginning! More skeletons abound in the cupboard. What follows is a twisting and thickening plot that gets deeper and deeper until all members of the Desouza family are swimming neck deep in it... including their lawyer! The Desouza fortune had become a looming cloud over them.. threatening to tear the family apart!
Biolla Williams plays the role of their matriarchal mother Caroline Ronnie
Desouza who holds the answers to most of the questions, but she too must tread
veeery very carefully. The over ambitious first son is Uti Nwachukwu. He is sly
and dangerous but he does not know about the lawyers sizzling affair with his
homosexual sister. She too has her eyes on the booty and the lawyer is her ace
card... her one way ticket to the kingdom of wealth!
Other siblings are not left out in the Saga. They too are hatching their own plans, manipulating, creeping, hacking their way into the Desouza treasure chest! The last child Tara finds solace in her camera.. she is recording everything. Admist all the chaos, one thing still holds them together. They are family. So they must fight, and find that love that once held them together. The movie is set in the modern city of lagos.
Other siblings are not left out in the Saga. They too are hatching their own plans, manipulating, creeping, hacking their way into the Desouza treasure chest! The last child Tara finds solace in her camera.. she is recording everything. Admist all the chaos, one thing still holds them together. They are family. So they must fight, and find that love that once held them together. The movie is set in the modern city of lagos.
Desmond Elliot
In The Cupboard is an intriguing family saga that aims to highlight the
Importance of families sticking together says Director Desmond Elliot.
"These days it is so disheartening to see
brothers and sisters at each other's throats over
issues of land, property and other things. This
movie just goes to show family are meant to stick
together". The movie was co produced by Caroline Danjuma and stared the likes of Ini Edo, Uti Nwachukwu,
Lydia Forson, Morris Sesay and Biola Williams. In The Cupboard is currently showing in cinemas nationwide.
brothers and sisters at each other's throats over
issues of land, property and other things. This
movie just goes to show family are meant to stick
together". The movie was co produced by Caroline Danjuma and stared the likes of Ini Edo, Uti Nwachukwu,
Lydia Forson, Morris Sesay and Biola Williams. In The Cupboard is currently showing in cinemas nationwide.
Cynthia Ugbe is a banker and a Theater Arts graduate of The University of Nigeria Nsukka. She is also a model, Aspiring film producer and Movies Editor of TER. Cynthia writes from lagos.
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Excellent writing! Kip it up bro. Tinti
ReplyDeleteI was almost disappointed when i read that the writer is a banker, but i read a little further and discovered that she is "a very creative writer who, at the moment, is working in the bank." Phew! I love this writer! It's running in the BLOOD!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much @ Tinti and thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteLoL @Lucky Ihanza, thanks for stopping by and taking time to read!
ReplyDelete