Everybody Loves Jenifa is a worthwhile film as it does not try to rehash the experiences of Jenifa in previous years.
By Joseph Jonathan
After Funke Akindele won the ‘Best Actress in a Leading Role’ at the 2009 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for her role as the titular character in Jenifa (2008), she said that she was yet to reach the peak of her career, as her best was yet to come.
For most people, that sounded absurd at the time because for any African or indeed Nigerian actor, what could be more than winning an AMAA?
However, Akindele seemed to be a woman on a mission as since then, she’s gone on to star in and direct the top 3 highest-grossing Nollywood films of all time, including 2023’s A Tribe Called Judah, which became the first Nollywood film to gross ₦1billion in box office revenue.
Nigeria’s box office queen–as she’s fondly called–returned to the big screens on December 13 with Everybody Loves Jenifa, which she co-directed alongside Tunde Olaoye.
It is the latest instalment in the popular Jenifa comedy franchise that includes one other feature film: The Return of Jenifa (2011), a television series: Jenifa’s Diary (2015) and two web series: Aiyetoro Town (2019) and Jenifa on Lockdown (2021).
Co-written by Akindele, Collins Okoh and Akinlabi Ishola (her co-collaborators on A Tribe Called Judah), Everybody Loves Jenifa follows the story of its titular character, Jenifa (Akindele), as she navigates new challenges when her popularity is threatened by her new neighbor, Lobster (Stan Nze), who begins to outshine her charity work and expose her inadequacies.
When she discovers a shocking secret about Lobster, Jenifa becomes determined to convince her neighbors and the police of the truth, despite his widespread popularity. This sets off a chain of events that unfolds in unexpected ways.
As far as story development goes, Everybody Loves Jenifa suffers from a somewhat convoluted narrative that tries to balance two distinct storylines, which leaves more questions than answers. With one half of the story taking place in Nigeria and the other in Ghana, the film creates gaps in both narratives, resulting in underdeveloped plot points and characters.
For instance, in the Nigeria storyline, the plot reaches a boiling point when Jenifa attempts to expose Lobster’s domestic abuse of his wife, Olivia (Nancy Isme). Although the film touches on this sensitive topic, it merely scratches the surface, glossing over the complexities of the issue in order to transition to the Ghana timeline, where more tension and action unfold.
As a result, the film misses a crucial opportunity to fully examine the motivations and backstories of these characters, rendering it challenging for audiences to empathise with them.
Furthermore, by not fully exploring the theme of domestic violence, a pervasive and pressing societal issue, the film falls short of its potential for meaningful commentary and impact. Focusing on a single storyline could have allowed for a more cohesive and engaging narrative, thereby enabling better character development.
Despite the frailties of the plot, Everybody Loves Jenifa makes for an enjoyable watch as the story is relatable. Despite being the latest addition to a franchise that began in 2008, something audiences would find appealing is how familiar, yet interesting the story is.
While Jenifa has become a pillar of her community and launched a foundation, she still retains her signature social awkwardness, marked by poorly spoken English and a bold, yet unintentionally troublesome personality that made the character a cultural icon.
This is evidence to the fact that while people change, achieving great things, and accumulating wealth, some aspects of their personality remain constant, and for Jenifa, her lovable, quirky nature remains an enduring part of her charm. Personal growth and success do not necessarily require sacrificing one’s core personality, as authenticity can be just as valuable as change.
The actors are also pleasurable to watch, with the addition of fresh faces alongside the familiar faces of characters like Sege (Folarin “Falz” Falana), Adaku (Omotunde Adebowale David), Toyosi (Juliana Olayode), and Timini (Tobi Makinde) making the film all the more entertaining.
Of the new characters, Rex (Layi Wasabi) and Madam Bassey (Bisola Aiyeola) catch the eye, playing characters different from what they’ve done in the past. Rex, in particular, stole the show, eliciting thunderous laughter from the audience during my cinema viewing.
Everybody Loves Jenifa is a worthwhile film as it does not try to rehash the experiences of Jenifa in previous years, instead it forges a new path in Jenifa’s story, one that would resonate with audiences.
While it is not a Christmas-themed film, families and individuals hoping to have a great time during the holiday period, would find the film entertaining and heartwarming, as it embodies the spirit of love and happiness that Christmas is about.
As Nollywood’s most anticipated film of the year, Everybody Loves Jenifa has already made a significant impact, shattering box office records with a remarkable opening day haul of ₦45.2 million and attracting 9,409 admissions.
This impressive feat surpasses the previous record held by A Tribe Called Judah, which drew 8,870 admissions.
With these impressive numbers, the big question on everyone’s mind is: can Funke Akindele’s ambitious goal of ₦5billion in box office revenue be achieved?
Everybody Loves Jenifa is showing in cinemas.
Rating: 2.7/5
Joseph Jonathan is a historian who seeks to understand how film shapes our cultural identity as a people. He believes that history is more about the future than the past. When he’s not writing about film, you can catch him listening to music or discussing politics. He tweets @JosieJp3.