'Quam's Money': A harsh review!

With shame I say, I haven't been a fan of Nollywood productions despite having aspirations to enter the industry someday. Ironic.

After spending the last two hours on this sequel, I’m left with mixed reactions. It has its strength that makes the film worthwhile-enough to make a review about and its weaknesses that diminishes its rewatch value.

Mediocre Dialogue

Nothing ruins the quality of a film as dialogue that isn’t creative. It's like, in the writing room the scriptwriters focused so much on entertainment through humour that they forgot to nail the most important element. Storytelling!!

Unfortunately, this problem is common in the comedy niche not just in Nollywood but also in Hollywood.

Filmmakers & Scriptwriters! In your quest to manifest comedy material. Don't put so much effort into its humor that you ignore the other themes your story is based on.

Weakly Constructed Plot

‘Quam's Money’ explores affluenza in Nigeria through the protagonist ‘Quame Omole’ (Falz) A cryptocurrency multimillionaire who falls victim to a fraudulent gang ‘BBC’ (Borrow Borrow Boys) run by Ozzy ( Nse Ikpe-Etim), Eme (Toni Tones) & Emeka (Williams Uchemba).

Money is a huge deal for these characters but it is not given why it is so important to them that they are willing to risk it all.

It’s fiction! Give us answers! Give us explanations! Yes, the audience knows the pursuit of money in life is inevitable. But in this story, why is it crucial for the survival of the characters?!

If this was explained in detail in monologues or dialogues for each respective character it would have added more depth to the story.

And even when it is executed, it's done partly, and way too late that it becomes ineffective.

The audience should know the drive behind the character's actions right from the premise. So the main character is active within the plot, not passive!

Uninspiring Protagonist

It would be more compelling to empathize with Quame if we witnessed his journey begin as the security guard he claimed to be. But this is a sequel. I want to believe it was his narrative in the prequel. Regardless, a brief black and white flashback wouldn't hurt.

After loosing N500 million to the BBC while I was expecting a pro-active & calculative response from a self made multi-millionaire, Quame begins to throw tantrums like a baby throughout the film.

‘I am Jeff Bezos second.. Cryptocurrency king,’ Blah Bla Blaahh.

I assume the writers inserted those lines for humor. But the humor in those moments replaced a very important piece of the storytelling, ‘Character Development’!

In the opening, Quame is seen as a risk-taker, a wealthy insecure Narcissist. In the ending, despite having been taught a lesson, Quame is still the risk-taker, a wealthy insecure Narcissist the opening described.

Honestly, Falz has played more inspiring characters.

Cringe Humor

Humor is subjective. What I find funny, others may find cringeworthy. And the opposite.

For a comedy, most of the lines don’t land well and even when it does it lives a cringe feeling. Except during Emeka’s scenes.

Irrelevant Side Characters

Hadiza (Michelle Dede) only existed to help Quame catch the ‘BBC’ and Rotimi (Karibi Fubara) was only present to fill the bestfriend cliché. Existing only to serve as contrast to the main character.

Their lines were unconvincing. It was so clear their comments, responses were just to fulfill the Quame’s ending.

Despite being termed ‘side characters’ they should be written in a way that they are in their world. Rather than being sucked up into the narrative of the main character. Let the side characters interact with the protagonist because they are on a storyline of their own.

‘Quam's Money’ ends with several unanswered questions about the ‘side characters’ like Hadiza.

We are never told if she later got married like her cousin Rotimi teased. No answer as to why Hadiza is obsessed with catching cybercriminals. Or Quame’s bestfriend, why is he the way he is? The writers probably thought we wouldn't care. Sad.

Quam money: A harsh review! Pulse Nigeria

Distracting Soundtrack

The musical score during intense scenes are perfect. But the soundtrack used in the opening and closing is…. I don't even know!

The use of the Actors real life music is unnecessary and distracting. That it takes the audience's attention away from this fictional world the writers have tried so hard to reel the audience into.

General Editing

In screenwriting every dialogue in every scene should compliment the previous while setting the stage for the next. When this isn’t done, the result is a film with an uneven progression. Like a bunch of comedy skits cut and edited into one lengthy picture. There were some scenes I recorded. The wonderful ones.

Abstract Narrative

The Inciting Incident; Quame being roped into a Ponzi scheme as a result of his horny state is funny but unrealistic.

When the protagonist has an alternative choice to make rather than going down that storyline. Then the audience has no reason to go on the journey with him/her.

A good Inciting Incident is one that forces the protagonist to go on an adventure. A scenario the protagonist can’t avoid. But here in ‘Quam Money’ the whole plot could have been evaded from the start if Quame had literally just sat at another table.

However, I’m glad he didn’t because if he did we wouldn't have the chance to witness the impeccable acting from this stellar cast.

Endearing Cast & Marvelous Acting

Falz's charisma on and off-screen is on a different level, Nse Ikpe-Etim is a powerhouse! Williams Uchemba’s Accent game needs to be studied. I hope he offers coaching classes. Michelle Dede is fierce in her role and will be terrifying in uniform, Karibi Fubara is the perfect actor for a Lagos playboy and Jemima Osunde understood the assignment.

Mind-blowing Plot Twist

The highlight of this film is the plot twist. The revelation that Ese and Emeka being the masterminds of the whole operation. No one saw that coming. It was a shocker!

Societal Issues

Knowingly or unknowingly to the producers, ‘Quam's Money’ shakes tables. It addresses issues that I hope more Nollywood productions begin to directly address.

Whether it is inadequacy of breast cancer awareness, the poor state of Nigerian prison systems, human right violations, abuse of political power, or cybercrime. For not shying away from these horrible issues, ‘Quam's Money’ deserves praise.

Regardless of the strengths or flaws of the story, ‘Quam's Money’ is a successful sequel. N90 Million at the box office? Not bad from my point of view.

I want to believe filmmakers and studio companies in Nollywood have a certain demographic in mind, and consider various factors (environmental, financial, legal, etc) before, during and after the entire process of filmmaking. These factors for consideration are to guarantee savings & profit. Do these strategies work? That’s for the filmmakers and their religious consumer audience to know.

Sadly, I belong to none...yet.

Do you know any Nollywood movies You'd like me to watch and review? Please reach out.

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Freelance Writer, Pop Culture Critic & Storyteller.

Reach out to me Israelnisola

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