"Love and Gaslighting": Nollywood's Emotional Rollercoaster or Manipulative Mess?
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Rating: ............................. 3.5/5 Stars
The Nollywood landscape is currently undergoing a fascinating metamorphosis. We are seeing a shift from the grainy, "Old Nollywood" supernatural thrillers to the sleek, "New Nollywood" corporate romances. But what happens when a film tries to bridge that gap? "Love and Gaslighting," currently trending on YouTube via Nollywood Starlet TV, is a curious specimen that attempts to do just that. It blends the high-stakes world of Lagos corporate excellence with the age-old, spine-chilling trope of the "Blood Covenant."
As a veteran analyst of this industry, I’ve seen countless "returnee" stories and love triangles, but this film poses a unique question: In a modern Nigeria of iPhones and LinkedIn profiles, does the "village" still have a hold on our hearts—and our veins?
The Hook: A Tale of Two Sisters and One Compromised Man
The film opens with a classic Nollywood "hook"—the introduction of Maria, the quintessential "Strong Nigerian Woman." Maria is the backbone of her family, a high-achiever who seemingly has everything under control until Uche enters the frame.
The narrative setup is deliberate. Unlike many rushed YouTube productions, "Love and Gaslighting" takes its time establishing the debt of gratitude. Maria doesn't just fall for Uche; she rescues him. She saves his mother, stabilizes his finances, and gives him a career. This creates a power dynamic that is ripe for the "gaslighting" promised in the title. When Maria’s sister, Fina, arrives from the United States, the movie shifts gears from a corporate romance into a psychological tug-of-war.
Cinematography: Beyond the "YouTube Movie" Aesthetic
Technically, the film punches slightly above the weight of standard "direct-to-YouTube" fare.
Lighting and Mood
The interior scenes—particularly Maria’s home and the office settings—utilize a warm, high-key lighting palette that signals wealth and stability. However, the Director of Photography (DoP) makes a conscious choice to shift to cooler, more shadows-heavy tones when Fina and Uche are alone. This visual cue subtly hints at the "darkness" of their shared past.
Camera Work
There is a heavy reliance on the "Nollywood Medium Shot." While effective for capturing dialogue in the living room scenes, I would have loved to see more wide shots to establish the Lagos landscape or the claustrophobia of the confrontation scenes. The framing during the climax at the "covenant spot" is particularly effective, using low angles to make the spiritual weight of their past feel looming and inescapable.
Sound Design: The Unsung Hero (and Occasional Villain)
In Nollywood, sound is often where the budget shows its cracks. In "Love and Gaslighting," the dialogue audibility is generally crisp—a relief for viewers tired of straining to hear lines over air conditioning hums.
The musical score, however, is a bit of a mixed bag. It leans heavily on sentimental piano riffs during the romantic peaks. While culturally appropriate, it occasionally borders on melodramatic. The standout use of sound occurs during the moments of "gaslighting." The silence used when Uche is lying to Maria’s face creates a palpable tension that music could never achieve. It forces the audience to sit in the discomfort of the betrayal.
Costume and Production Design: Dressing the Part
The costume department deserves a nod for their work on Maria. Her wardrobe—structured blazers, impeccable wigs, and sophisticated jewelry—perfectly communicates her status as the "alpha" in the relationship. Contrast this with Fina, whose style is more "free-spirited returnee," signaling her disruptive nature.
The set design for the corporate office is believable, avoiding the common pitfall of looking like a rented living room with a computer on a dining table. These small details ground the story in a reality that makes the later "blood covenant" twist feel even more jarring and intrusive.
Narrative Structure: The Slow Burn of Betrayal
The film follows a traditional three-act structure but suffers from some of the pacing issues common in the industry.
Act One: The buildup of Maria and Uche’s relationship. It’s sweet, perhaps a bit too long, but necessary to make the betrayal hurt.
Act Two: Fina’s arrival. This is where the "gaslighting" begins. Uche’s attempts to balance the two women provide the meat of the tension.
Act Three: The spiritual reckoning. The transition from a modern romance to a "blood covenant" resolution is a sharp turn that might leave some modern viewers dizzy, but it speaks directly to the Nigerian psyche—the belief that the past is never truly buried.
The pacing drags in the middle as we see several repetitive scenes of Uche looking conflicted, but the emotional payoff in the final 15 minutes is strong enough to justify the wait.
Character Analysis: Performances That Carry the Weight
The Lead: Uche’s Conflict
Uche’s character is a masterclass in the "weak man caught in a web." He isn't a villain in the traditional sense; he is a man burdened by a youthful mistake (the blood oath) and a current debt (gratitude to Maria). His performance captures the sweat-on-the-brow anxiety of a man who knows his world is about to crumble.
The Sisters: Maria vs. Fina
Maria is played with a graceful strength that makes her eventual heartbreak more poignant. She isn't a "shrew" or a "victim"; she is a woman of logic. On the other hand, Fina represents the "ghost of the past." Her character's insistence on the validity of a teenage blood oath in the face of her sister's happiness is the ultimate catalyst for the film's conflict. Their chemistry—or lack thereof—perfectly mirrors the sibling rivalry that underpins the plot.
Plot Logic and the "Blood Covenant" Trope
Let's address the elephant in the room: the Blood Covenant. In Nigerian cinema, the blood oath is a narrative shortcut to represent "unbreakable commitment." To a Western audience, Uche’s fear might seem irrational—why not just break up? But within the Nigerian societal norm, a blood oath is seen as a spiritual contract with dire physical consequences (usually madness or death).
The "gaslighting" in the title refers to how Uche and Fina manipulate Maria’s reality to hide this secret. The plot logic holds up if you accept the cultural weight of the covenant. However, the resolution—breaking the covenant through a simple confrontation—felt a bit rushed. I would have liked to see more of the psychological toll this took on Maria once she discovered she was the "third wheel" in her own engagement.
Cultural Relevance: The Modern vs. The Ancient
"Love and Gaslighting" reflects a very real Nigerian reality: the clash between our modern, professional aspirations and our deep-seated traditional beliefs. Maria represents the "New Nigeria"—educated, wealthy, and autonomous. Fina and the blood oath represent the "Old Nigeria"—superstition, ancestral bonds, and the idea that you can never truly escape your roots.
The film serves as a social commentary on the dangers of "building" a man. Maria invested her resources into Uche, only to find that his foundation was already laid by someone else. It’s a cautionary tale that resonates deeply with the "diaspora vs. local" audience, highlighting that no matter how far you travel (even to the US like Fina), your "African-ness" and its spiritual obligations follow you.
The Verdict: Is it Worth the Data?
"Love and Gaslighting" is a solid entry into the 2024/2025 Nollywood YouTube catalog. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it spins it with enough competence and emotional intelligence to keep you engaged for its nearly two-hour runtime.
The film succeeds because it doesn't just rely on the "spiritual" aspect; it grounds the drama in human emotions—gratitude, jealousy, and the fear of losing a good thing. While the pacing could be tighter and the resolution more complex, the performances make it a compelling watch.
Who Should Watch This?
Fans of intense family dramas and love triangles.
Viewers who enjoy "modern meets traditional" Nollywood themes.
Anyone who has ever felt like they were being "gaslit" in a relationship and wants to see a relatable (albeit extreme) portrayal of it.
In an era where Nollywood is fighting for global attention on Netflix and Prime Video, films like "Love and Gaslighting" prove that the "heart" of the industry still beats strongest on YouTube, where stories are told for the people, by the people, using the tropes we know by heart.
Check it out on Nollywood Starlet TV and let us know: Could you forgive a partner who kept a blood oath secret from you?
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