Olasupo marks the third entry in the Biopic genre engaged by drama ministers from the turn of this decade. It has great predecessors in The Train (2020) and Enoch (2023), thus giving it tough acts to follow. Nonetheless, the movie stays true to the things that make us love this genre – the (un)known stories of our modern-day heroes told in relatable ways, mainly showcasing their humble beginnings and the rough patch they all had before heeding to God’s call.
The 2024 biopic has a lengthy runtime as it tries to bring the audience up to speed with the life of its protagonist. And therein usually lies a major challenge of this genre – knowing just how much of the subject’s story to include in the motion picture. So far, The Train and Enoch leave early, focusing on the background of its subjects, with the assumption that the audience knows or can find out much of the rest online. Olasupo on the other hand feels the need to say so much more, which is probably why its ending wasn’t satisfying for me, bringing down the curtain at a point when a board of ministers was divisive on the choice of Supo as the president of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
Another offshoot of this is the (late) casting of an older Supo and Toyin, which rather disrupted the flow garnered by what I consider the best part of the story – the relationship between Supo and Toyin as portrayed by Omooba Oluwasegun and Aanu Kolade-Abiodun. Their onscreen synergy was beautiful to watch as they both brought their A-games to their roles. I consider myself privileged to always watch Aanu Kolade-Abiodun who by God’s grace, has never put a foot wrong, no matter the role she’s given. She and her co-star accurately nailed the teaser scene for Olasupo, in spite of the numbing sound design that could have nullified their efforts.
It is always a blessing to be able to see the background of prominent personalities whom many people look up to. Supo’s story is another testament to the fact that nobody yields to God’s call over their lives and ends up on the losing side. And it is never really an easy decision, because on many occasions, the subject is already on a path that is physically successful. However, it is clear that God knows the good thoughts He has towards us, and only when we trust Him and cooperate with Him will He be able to bring them into fruition.
While there are quite a number of things I know would have made Olasupo a more befitting biopic, one that really hit me on a personal level is the subtitling. Putting it as mildly as possible, this kind of captioning is simply unacceptable at this level. I would urge the filmmakers involved in this project going forward, to pay more attention to better sound design, tighter plotting, unnecessary, and lengthy scenes, repeated estabs, and managed sequences. As it is said in writing, sometimes, less is more.
The link to the movie is https://youtu.be/paoRO2scL_8?si=yUxprEff0qOW__IV
Till the next review, stay blessed!
Film Credits
OLASUPO
(March 30, 2024)
130 minutes
Living Faith Films International and Ayanfe Proclaimers Christian Drama Production
Cast
Omooba Oluwasegun as Supo 2
Aanu Kolade-Abiodun as Toyin 2
Yomi Adewumi as Ayoade
Emmanuel Ajayi as Man in White
Crew
Director
Seun Adejumobi
Screenwriter
Ayo ‘Cineman’ Olaleye
Cinematographers
Korede Olayinka and Raphael Oluwaseyi
Editor
Abiola Babatola Nattytunez
Witness Gospel Movie Reviews 