The much-anticipated movie ” Strained” has hit the screens directed, wrote, and produced by Okechukwu Oku from OracleFilmsTV by an ensemble cast featuring Queen Nwokoye, Samuel Nnaibuike, Padita Agu, Tracey George, and Adaeze Onuigbo.

The story is based in the beautiful city of Enugu where Queen Nwokoye as Mama Ibu attempts to force Ebere, played by Tracey George on a bittersweet road as she tries to re-establish contact with her distant parent, who in her memories, has been brought up by her husband Samuel Nnaibuike to remember her as Mama.

It’s the birth of a child, which ushers in the customary Omugwo, which sets the stage for the couple’s highly anticipated meeting; ‘Omugwo’ is a time when the wife’s mother stays with her to assist the new mother. The one question many will ponder is: Why does Ebere despise her mother so much? Are there any restrictions on her ability to spend time with the baby and assist her? To find out more, you need to see it in cinemas.

Every actor delivers believable performances. Nevertheless, especially in her role as the mother of Ebere, Queen Nwokoye outperformed everyone. She always impresses, yet it is fair to say that she simply was impressive in this film, bringing it to life and making it more realistic than ever.

“Strained” is a poignant film that intertwines serious subjects such as abuse, and hysterical relationships, particularly in laws. And so the movie looks at these different aspects of life but primarily offers the Nigerian perspective which is intellectually engaging especially during the denouement.

The plot touches into the aftermath effects of psycho-emotional abuse thus transfixed around the lives of individual persons and their immediate families as well. This understanding is obtained through vigorous characterization and committed participation from all, thus making more realistic the challenges that, even the viewers who, are survivors, face. Even emotional trauma is well expressed in this context, and there is no detail left out concerning ‘how’ people are damaged in such cases cried as tears streamed down their faces.

The photography of ‘Strained’ is quite good considering the tense and the comic elements in the story. The use of colors as well as lighting designs creates an emotional experience that complements the characterization.

Brilliantly shot are the subtle and non-verbal gestures combined in the written forms of great complexity into the thematic composition. The contrasts of family gatherings plus some close-up views cut against some wide shots which were taken during the climax sections of the action hence effectively demonstrating the thematic duality of film stunningly.

‘Strained,’ is such a film, dealing especially masterfully with the dualities of life. The film ebbs and flows the audience’s emotions to the point of shuttering someone to tears in one moment and bursting them out in an episode of sheer laughter in another moment. The ability of the movie to shift between such contradictory emotions is as the result of the efforts of the directors in this case and the screenplay writer also.

Anyone who appreciates films that are entertaining and enlightening at the same time. It will also interest students of the Igbo language quite uniquely where family dynamics is witnessed after delivery depression sets in. More so, “Strained” will be ideal for any audience interested in Igbo postpartum care while enjoying a well produced movie.

A drama that all the more deserves to be watched not only for exceptional actors and their performances combined with production values. This restates the worrying acts of domestic violence that trails the unfortunate end of every marriage in its core. In all fairness though, like most new movies today, very few parts of the movie were unpredictable. Just because of that, it is one of my favorite movies on this streaming service presently, however, it might lack a bit of impact when watched on a larger screen.

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