“Recall” Undermines Kunle Afolayan’s Artistry

What happens when you wake up and memories of the past ten years of your life wipe away like the morning mist? It’s a premise that lies at the heart of “Recall”, a Nollywood movie psychological thriller that attempts to explore spirituality and love in its roughly two-hour runtime.

Sharon Ooja is Anita Bashorun in this thriller, a happily married woman who is married to well-to-do lawyer, Goke Bashorun (played by Olarotimi Fakunle) who opens the film with a lavish wedding anniversary. Her decade-old conjugal bliss comes crashing down when what is meant to be just another ordinary morning turns out to be the day she mysteriously forgets what’s been going on in her life for the past ten years – precisely when she got married.

The consequence is that she is a stranger to her own life with no memory of her husband, children and some friends. It’s a condition that defies medical science and leads her hapless mother (Tina Mba) to solicit “extra” help by way of Patience Ozokwor’s prophetess (who speaks fluent Yoruba by the way). Only then was it revealed that s spiritual force has a hand in it.

Being a Kunle Afolayan film, “Recall” boasts some of the trademarks of the celebrated filmmaker’s artistry: carefully framed shots, emotive close-ups, and a strong visual language. Some, not all.

For one, it’s unlike Afolayan to breed more than one unrelatable character(s) – and there are several in this film. With the exception of Fakunle and Mba, it’s difficult to emotionally connect with anyone, least of all the protagonist. This disconnect is due in part to underwritten roles, and in part to underwhelming performances. Sharon Ooja’s sleeping beauty gimmick certainly needed a lot more than that to extract emotions from the audience. Meanwhile, Keppy Ekpenyong-Bassey, playing Anita’s father, struggles to make an impact, hampered further by distractingly poor old-age makeup.

On the brighter side, Fakunle’s Goke takes a win as far as performance and relatability is concerned. He bears the brunt of the story: first having to deal with a wife with no memory of him, children that need answers, and then finding out the unlikely source of his misfortune wasn’t far from home. Every time he breaks down, it’s impossible not to recall the adoration he showered on Anita in the film’s opening celebration. His portrayal captures the quiet devastation of a man whose love is no longer recognized, let alone returned.

It’s also not entirely in character for an Afolayan film to blatantly miss paying attention to detail. An uneasy scene of Goke speaking with his daughter’s teacher while she exhibits eyebrow raising characteristics was promising but it all it did was to test the audience patience when a follow up failed to come through. nd while it may seem harsh to critique child actors, their lack of preparation is glaring—especially when they break the fourth wall by staring directly into the camera. Surely someone on set could have guided them better on how to actually act like Mummy is in trouble?

That’s not all, but there some plot inconsistencies with her memories and there’s no explanation as to why she screams so much upon seeing harmless children.

More disappointingly, “Recall’s exploration of spirituality—which should have anchored the plot—only kicks in fully during the film’s closing moments. By then, the film has already lost much of its momentum. As it stands, “Recall” is a visually appealing but emotionally disconnected thriller that betrays the depth of Kunle Afolayan’s usual storytelling prowess.

If “Recall” deserves a re-watch, it’s not for anything visual; it’s thanks to it’s amazing soundtrack(s).

Release Date: April 4, 2025

Runtime: 2 hours

Streaming Service: No, Cinematic Release

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Cast: Sharon Ooja, Olarotimi Fakunle,Bimbo Akintola, Bolaji Ogunmola, Muyiwa Ademola, Keppy Ekpenyong-Bassey, Tina Mba, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Milare Ogunmefun and Patience Ozokwor.

TNR Scorecard: