Samson Oklobia

Plot I would start by first congratulating the director on a job well done, with the plot and technicality to achieve this final piece of art. The movie starts on a below note with a continuous shot of Cass (Hardwick) and his crew getting ready to hit the club in front of a food truck when Free, short for Frida (Meagan Good) comes by to get a quick snack before heading to the airport. It couldn’t have been nothing short of her beauty but Cass noticed her and peels away from the group to have a word with her (she was fiiinnneee). The conversation was short and brisk but it struck a hard note on the character of Cats which was confirmed later on in the movie that he is your conventional Egocentric “Alpha Male”. Later on you will find a justification for such trait in his character as related to the society he finds himself in and that became a default setting to tackle the racial discrimination he faces everyday living in L.A. Back to the story, He invites Free to join them, She declines, he says “ok” and heads out with his crew only for Free to rethink and met up with them. It was obvious there was a connection between them both as they proceed into the club for the first act that really caught my attention, the Make-out in the bathroom. From this point on, you will begin to wonder what angle the director is trying to wield the story, considering it was election night and Cass keeps checking updates on Trumps victory at the polls. The most remarkable thing was the acting but both Meagan and Omari, the intensity of emotions and the communication even in their silence, it goes a long way to tell how actors play a vital role in pushing a plot. The taxi ride to Cass’ friends place and back to the restaurant where the film ended, encapsulates the true meaning of reliving your broken dream. We see Cass coming off his high horse to open up on a dream he buried 4 years ago, Free on the other hand becomes the catalyst, pushing Cass to reopen this dream of making films, the connection between them just increasing with every new scene. The last scene at the restaurant was a true end. After Trump wins the elections, what next? They all have to intensify their fight, their struggle for freedom, even freedom from self. Cass decided to send his script out and Free stays back in L.A with him, we can only imagine what the nest phase of their lives will be. Technique This is where I was blown out of my mind by this movie and a big thumbs up to Steve Holleran, the cinematographer for this film. Form start to finish, it was a continuous shot. How amazing is that? And I was executed well. Though there where a few scenes where the focus delayed and twitched, the flow was nicely done and the glide from character to character in each scene was a thrill. Overall This is a feel good romantic movies but it will require a large chunk of patience to enjoy the artistry put into the work. When you get hooked, it will be an amazing ride and everything else just flows. I love the cameo appearances, the twist and turns, the connection between the two characters (Cass and Free), and the major theme for the film; Chase your dreams even if its the last thing you do to live freely. We all need to take a cue from that, especially here in Nigeria where dreams are easily killed as soon as they get birthed.