“New Money” is a story of passion told differently. Passion here is not just as expressed between a man and a woman, but a woman’s desire to pursue the career after her heart.
Nollywood rising star Jemima Osunde plays the lead character Toun Odumosu. Toun is hardworking and generous. And her boyfriend Qualm (Folarin “Falz” Falana) knows it. He claims to love her but he lives off her. Toun also has a best friend. Her name is Binta (Wofai Fada). They are colleagues and Binta is also Toun’s sounding board.
All her life Toun believed her father died when she was a child. But in a sudden turn of events, she realises that her mother (Kate Henshaw) had lied to her all her life. She receives some guests who tell her that her father (Kalu Ikeagwu) just passed away. And he left her a great fortune, aka “New Money”. Her father also names the ordinary sales girl the chief executive officer (CEO) of his company Audere. Toun is initially reluctant but eventually accepts the job of CEO.
However, after taking a shot at being CEO, Toun chooses to follow her passion to become a designer. This premise upon which “New Money” is based is unrealistic because Toun’s dad (Kalu Ikeagwu) found his estranged daughter before passing, and he knew she was just a sales girl with no competency to run a business conglomerate. Nonetheless, the screenwriter Chinaza ‘Naz’ Onuzo redeems the plot when Toun shows her inexperience by squandering N4 million at a night club. To top it off, her photos surface on social media.
Meanwhile, Angela (Osas Ajibade) is Audere’s head of corporate communications. She is saddled with the responsibility of creating the right image for Toun as CEO of Audere. She seemed to have been making progress until the Toun’s photos were leaked. Consequently, had to clean-up the mess.
In calling Toun to order, a frustrated Angela gives her boss a stern warning. Osas in that scene portrays communications managers as rude and arrogant. And that’s unlikely because putting out fires is what communications managers and publicists do every day. If they went around warning their bosses, they would have no jobs.
While she is at it, there’s a plot to oust Toun as CEO of Audere. But she finds a true friend in her late dad’s assistant, Joseph (Blossom Chukwujekwu). With Angela and Joseph’s help, she gets back on track. To severs ties with Qualm, Toun invests in a betting company and appropriates him shares. But Joseph counsels her to buyout the betting company as the key to retain her seat on the board of Audere. It works.
Blossom turns out to be the star of “New Money”. His acting is great – even in his silence he communicates. Wofai is also believable and Falz delivers on the role of a low-life freeloader. There were lots of scenes which made the audience laugh out loud! And overall, the cast made “New Money” an enjoyable movie.
Director Tope Oshin also uses product placements brilliantly. The Heineken Lagos Fashion and Design Week, drinks on display at Fatima’s bar, that’s Toun’s mum (Kate Henshaw) and Ebonylife TV’s Moments are seamlessly integrated into the movie. Furthermore, the choice of betting as a viable investment makes sense as betting is becoming big business in Nigeria. All these elements are effectively combined to make “New Money” a relevant story.
FilmOne also puts their stamp on the movie as we see Quam leaving Filmhouse. “New Money” ends with a teaser in which Qualm learns that he and music superstar Falz look alike. Should we be looking forward to a sequel?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acsu9MfgOyE]
Directed by Tope Oshin
Cast includes; Jemima Osunde, Kate Henshaw, Dakore Akande, Osa Ighodaro-Ajibade, Blossom Chuwkwujekwu, Kalu Ikeagwu, Wale Ojo, Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana, Femi Branch, Wofai Fada, Daniel Etim Effiong, Adeolu Adefarasin, and Bikiya Graham-Douglas.
