I'm in my Own Group!
Anchor Baby
I see many posts about this movie but no reviews, however if blindness is what is afflicting me can this post please be moved. I loved this movie and would give it a 8.5/10
Starring Omoni Oboli and Sam Sarpong
Pregnant Joyce Unanga played by Omoni Oboli and her husband Paul Unaga played by Sam Sarpong are illegal immigrants in the United States. Their visas have expired and their time in the USA is up. They were offered voluntary deportation 3 months previously but refused to take it Joyce has 4 months until she gives birth and has agreed with her husband that they will lay under the radar hiding from immigration until the baby is born. This anchor baby will act as a device for the family to gain legal foothold into the United States;. Joyce isn’t so keen on the idea but her husband Paul is desperate for their child to be born in the United States and have an American passport so that he/she can be afforded the same opportunities as American born kids.
After a raid at Paul’s workplace, where Paul drops his phone after running from immigration officials immigration and are hot on their tails and one morning while Joyce is out on her daily walk they pounce and grab Paul. Joyce has no choice but to evacuate the apartment if she too doesn’t want to be caught. She is left alone, homeless and pregnant looking for a place to stay when she comes across a Good Samaritan by the name Susan played by Teri Oliver in a doctor’s office. Susan comes in to save the day and offers her her basement to live in until the baby is born. It sounds too good to be true. Is it?
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The movie highlights the harsh realities of being an illegal immigrant. It is not an easy life. You have no ID card or insurance to see a doctor, no ID to rent an apartment. You can not work because you have no work permit. You are seemingly present but more or less invisible. Sometimes resorting to further illegal behaviour is the only way to survive as we see in this movie whereby Joyce and Susan end up visiting a criminal counterfeiter in order to order clones cards so that she can have ID and gain access to public services such as medical attention that most people take for granted. There is no dignity for an illegal alien. When Joyce does turn herself in at the end of the movie she is treated like a common criminal, which she clearly doesn’t see herself as. She is put in handcuffs much to her horror. She pleads with the arresting officer that it is unnecessary as she is handing herself in voluntarily. Her pleas go ignored.
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This is a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed and I would definitely recommend. It was well shot and evenly paced. The drama, tension and suspense was good but could have been picked up a notch, nevertheless I loved the storyline. It was one that raised very real and important issues about illegal immigration and showed us the gritty reality of life as an illegal immigrant and the misfortune that can fall upon you when you have no rights. Anchor baby won the Best film Harlem Intl film festival, Award of Merit L.A Cinema festival of Hollywood. It made the Official selection Africa Intl film festival and official selection Fans of film festival and all with good reason. Grab ya copy (if you can find it!)
Read the rest here:
Anchor Baby | Nollywood Forever Movie Reviews
OHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHH!!
how was omoni's performance?
I'm in my Own Group!
She was superb. Stand out performance.Originally Posted by Thickmadam
Film Pros
Yep, she was simply amazing!
<-----Music Diva CHELLE
Thanx...I've never really quite understood why people on here thinks she's a bad /not-so-good actress...
The first time i saw Omoni was in a flick starring Genevieve Nnaji, Desmond Elliot...She acted as Dessy's pregnant fiancee/wife and she was reallly good...I never forgot these lines :
Dessy: ''You can take a horse to a river but you can't force it to drink from the river''
Omoni: ''I will make history baby, this horse must drink this water!''
LOL...
She's a fantastic actress!
Master Group
Okay...so I guess we should believe the hype.
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.....E. E.. Cummings
You can swim all day in the sea of knowledge and still come out completely dry....Norman Juster
Film Pros
Depends what the hype is my dear. All I can say is it is such a good story and has more or less gone straight to the top of my 'best' Naija films list - that is the story done.
Now for the filming... considering it was shot on a Red camera, and the oyinbo DOP na CSC... no hype there at all as some shots were soft... but then na only filmmakers and pixel-peepers dey argue about such rubbish info. Were there things in it I didn't like? Of course! But even Oscar winning films have some crap I don't like. I think the main and really the only important question is "Does it work as a package" - Hell yes it does!!
The simple truth about filmmaking is - the audience does not give a damn what you shot on... all they want to know and care about is - "Is it a good film?" My answer remains, as far as Ngerian filmmaking goes, it is a BRILLIANT film.
So pick your 'hype'. I don't know the hype surrounding it and don't care - all I know is na damn good film, I was well impressed (Bet rememba - one man him kpomo is anoda man him letha shoe).
Master Group
Cool....I'll have to check it out once it makes it way to the US. I've never seen Omoni in a lead role, so this should be interesting.
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.....E. E.. Cummings
You can swim all day in the sea of knowledge and still come out completely dry....Norman Juster
Film Pros
Hopefully you'll like it. There is a reason it has These Awards.
Master Group
Wow...now that's a boatload of awards. I'll definitely have to check it out.
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.....E. E.. Cummings
You can swim all day in the sea of knowledge and still come out completely dry....Norman Juster
Naija Ruler!
I have not seen this movie in all three popular stores that I go to in MD. Where did you guys get your copy?
I'm in my Own Group!
I dont think it is on general release yet. I saw it about a week ago at the cinema here in London. Last showing was thursday gone so will probably still be some time until it is out.
Nigerian Movie Buff
Anchor Baby is still showing in UK cinemas in its 6th week now according to their facebook page and odeon website. See the times and cinema showing it in UK. ODEON - Anchor Baby - Tickets | Film Trailer | Preview | Release Date
Nigerian Movie Buff
This is truly how you watch a movie regardless if you are also a filmmaker. There is no perfect movie out there. It's all art. The bottom line is "Does it work for you as a film goer?". Sometimes, we get all analytical about stuff and forget to just sit down and enjoy a good movie and story. I enjoyed it too and glad that you did.
Master Group
Is it going to be released in the US?
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.....E. E.. Cummings
You can swim all day in the sea of knowledge and still come out completely dry....Norman Juster
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