Smart Money Woman is an outstanding financial literacy book. So, not surprising that the movie is an exceptional piece of art.
I read the book” Smart Money Woman” by Arese Ugwu in 2017. I loved it because it presented financial education in a unique story making it easier to grasp financial literacy than long boring traditional methods. When I saw the top 10 trending in Naija on Netflix, I thought, ‘this is a must-watch!’. This 7 part series is a step-by-step breakdown of handling finances for beginners. If you are a spender and always wonder where your money goes, you should watch this movie. I Rated 16+, in my opinion, because some scenes are downright steamy.
The Story
The scriptwriter Kemi Lala Akindoju did a fantastic job incorporating different themes. The book centres around one character but weaves the story around the lives of five women and their everyday struggles. It explores themes like infidelity, Excessive Spending, Friendship, and Family tussles. The variety with each character makes it an absolute delight to watch. The beauty is that karma serves poetic justice at the movie’s end. There was such a kindred spirit amongst the ladies, and what struck me the most was how they called each other out on their mistakes and the snapping of fingers when any one of them achieved a milestone.
The Actors
- Osas Ighodaro took this role seriously. Social media recently bashed her for being more of a pretty face than an actress in character delivery. She just proved them wrong.
- Toni Tones!!!! This lady is a prolific actress. If you have seen the king of boys, then you will know that she comes to a knife fight with a gun. She kills her character effortlessly.
- Kemi Lala Akindoju embodies any character she plays; I initially felt she was Typecast by playing the same roles, but I remembered her stellar performance in Oloture.
- Ini Dima Okojie is a bundle of talents. She keeps surprising me with her ability to embody any role she has.
- Ebenezer Eno is the newcomer in this mix, and she carried her character so well the other established actors rubbed off on her in a good way.
The chemistry of the female leads was excellent; you would think they have been friends all their lives.
Cast Of Smart Money Woman
- Osas Ighodaro as Zuri
- Kemi Lala Akindoju as Adesuwa
- Toni Tones as Lara
- Ini Dima Okojie as Tami
- Ebenezer Eno as Ladun
- Karibi Fubara as Bode
- Timini Egbuson as Bobby
- Eku Edewor as Banke
Great talents Kemi Lala Akindoju doubled as the casting director alongside Arese Ugwu, so as expected, they did a great job assembling this bundle of skills.
Technical:
Will it be surprising that the director of this series is a Female? For a series centred on women and their struggles, it’s only fitting that a woman should direct the flow of actions. So Bunmi Ajakaiye and Jola Ayeye came together to set the tone of this series. Bunmi, who is best known for directing a web series, Skinny Girl In Transit, and working in the Arbitration, is a maestro in her field other. Undoubtedly, the sound, light, and picture came together beautifully with her directing. The different hues were appropriate for each scene and made you feel every emotion you needed to feel. Continuity and transition were flawless. The costumes, location, hair, and makeup also breath class. All in all, the best talent make this a blockbuster.
Score:
I would score it a 7.5 because it was a great watch. However, it is not so popular amongst film watchers as often happens with many excellent box office movies. It took Netflix for me even to know it existed. I believe Smart Money Woman would have been publicised better if on cinema.
