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Directed by Funke Akindele and Tunde Olaoye, Behind The Scene arrives with all the ingredients of a Nollywood blockbuster: a star-studded cast, heavy emotional themes, and an ambitious attempt to critique family dependency and unchecked generosity. Featuring performances from Funke Akindele, Destiny Etiko, Ibrahim Chatta, Ini Dima-Okojie, Iyabo Ojo, Tobi Bakre, Uzor Arukwe, and Victoria Adeleye, the film positions itself as a serious social drama. Unfortunately, beneath the glossy surface lies a story that relies more on exaggeration than insight.
Rather than offering a nuanced exploration of human relationships, Behind The Scene opts for extreme scenarios that oversimplify complex realities, leaving the viewer frustrated rather than enlightened.
Aderonke’s World: Wealth Without Boundaries
At the center of the story is Aderonke “Ronky-Fella” Faniran, a highly successful real estate entrepreneur and devoted mother of two. After losing their parents, she becomes the financial backbone of her family, supporting an irresponsible elder sister and a reckless younger brother. Her generosity is widely praised, but over time it morphs into entitlement, with those around her treating her wealth as a shared resource.
This setup presents a strong foundation for exploring themes such as emotional manipulation, family pressure, and self-neglect. However, the film quickly abandons realism in favor of theatrical excess.
An Illogical Turning Point
Instead of confronting her siblings or redefining her boundaries, Aderonke makes the baffling decision to fake her own death. The plan is designed to reveal whether her family truly loves her or merely tolerates her because of her money.
To execute this, she installs hidden cameras throughout her home, allowing her to remotely monitor events after her supposed demise. The result, unsurprisingly, is that her elder sister moves in, liquidates assets, and behaves abusively toward both the children and household staff.
The issue is not that betrayal is revealed, but that the revelation was never in doubt. The film treats the discovery as profound, even though the exploitation had been visible for years. This choice undermines Aderonke’s intelligence and weakens the emotional payoff.
Using Trauma as a Plot Device
One of the film’s most troubling aspects is how lightly it treats the emotional consequences of Aderonke’s actions. Her children are forced to believe their mother is dead, yet the narrative offers little reflection on the psychological damage this would cause.
Death, in this film, becomes a convenient tool rather than a meaningful event. The gravity of such a decision is brushed aside to maintain the storyline’s momentum, leaving the viewer questioning the moral center of the film.
Excessive Characterization
The supporting characters are written with little restraint. Aderonke’s siblings are portrayed as relentlessly cruel, entitled, and disrespectful—so much so that they feel less like humans and more like caricatures designed to hammer home a message.
Several scenes push generosity to absurd extremes, including moments where Aderonke takes responsibility for financial obligations that no rational person would accept. These exaggerations dilute the realism of the story and make it difficult to emotionally invest in the characters.
Visual Choices That Add Little Value
The inclusion of foreign workers at construction sites feels unnecessary and awkward. Their presence does not advance the plot or deepen the narrative, instead creating a sense of forced prestige. The roles could have been handled more effectively by local actors without changing the story’s intent.
More jarring is the abrupt insertion of product placement mid-film. The narrative pauses to advertise a toothpaste brand, breaking immersion entirely. At that moment, the film feels less like a story and more like a marketing vehicle.
Commercial Success Versus Creative Responsibility
Behind The Scene reflects a growing trend where commercial performance is prioritized over storytelling depth. The formula is familiar: simplify social issues, cast popular faces, release during peak cinema seasons, and rely on box office numbers as validation.
While this approach may generate revenue, it risks discouraging artistic growth. When influential filmmakers normalize shallow storytelling, emerging creatives may feel pressured to abandon originality in favor of quick profits.
Final Assessment
Despite its strong cast and ambitious themes, Behind The Scene struggles to deliver a believable or thoughtful narrative. The film undercuts its own message through illogical plot choices, excessive dramatization, and overt commercial interruptions.
This is a movie better suited for passive viewing—something to play in the background rather than engage with critically. It may entertain casual audiences, but viewers seeking depth and realism are likely to be disappointed.
Rating: 5/10
Watch trailer below…
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