I am Anis – Movie Review

The film follows the story of Anisola Williams, a successful woman whose ugly past resurfaces to threaten her seemingly perfect life.

This was a good watch…. the best Nollywood movie I have seen this year. 

I think I start all my reviews of Biodun Stephen’s films by saying “it’s a simple story”, and that’s always the case. The same is true for this movie. I’m sure I have said this before, but I’ll say it again: some films rely on heavy, elaborate plots anchored by so many characters (relevant or irrelevant) to pull viewers in, for Biodun Stephen, it’s what she does with seemingly simple stories and small casts that gets me every time!

What did I like about this film?

The story was good. It tells an uplifting and genuinely heart-warming true-life story. I Am Anis is the story of every young girl whose life was almost derailed by teenage pregnancy but, with strength, resilience, and the right opportunities, rewrote her story and became a woman her younger selves could be proud of. The storyline is compelling, emotionally charged, and very relevant. Teenage pregnancy is such a common issue in our society, and unfortunately, so many girls never recover. They don’t find the support or the will to get their lives back on track. This highlights the importance of stories like this. I heard someone say I Am Anis is a movement and I must say, it is indeed….if Biodun made a call right now for women to share their stories, we would hear stories for days. Stories of resilience, stories of triumph against all odds, stories of women who chose to rise above shame.

Acting and casting were great.

Lina Idoko, who played young Anisola, it was a good performance. I liked how she carried the role and moved effortlessly from a stubborn teenager to a sex worker. Also, I really, really liked hearing her speak. She speaks well, and knowing how articulate Shaffy Bello (adult Anisola) is, I appreciated that a lot.

Shaffy Bello was superb in this movie. It’s one of the best I have seen from her. Her portrayal was really moving. Tina Mba She showed up like a boss! That scene where she scolded David and told him to get out was one of my favorite moments while watching.

Toyin Oshinaike shines in this film. I liked him in this one because he wasn’t doing too much, but you could feel and see everything that was going through his mind. Debo Adedayo (Mr Macaroni) did a good Job as David. He looked and acted like a David if you know what I mean.

I liked the storytelling. You know how Biodun Stephen just pulls you in? I was so invested. I was angry with young Anisola for treating her father poorly. I really wanted to fling Mr. Bobby away with his fake accent. That uncle that exposed the secret? A complete nuisance. As for David? A very silly boy. I liked how the film was divided into chapters. Even though it moved from present to past a lot, it never got confusing. At no point did I lose track. The transitions were smooth.

I liked the characters. Anisola herself was very impressive. Watching her put in the work, become the best version of herself, find her voice, and help other girls and women was good to see. The other female characters were also great, they all had sense, they did not judge, they were giving “women supporting women” for real.

Another thing I appreciated about how they told this story was the fact that when Anisola met her old friend again, she was doing well too. Her hard work paid off. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I liked the themes addressed. I also appreciated that the film acknowledged how not everyone will have a Mr. Williams. The universe may present an opportunity in other forms, and it’s important to recognize and seize it. Anisola inspiring other young women—who may not have someone like Mr. Williams to push them was good. I hope at least one girl going through that phase in her life sees this, finds inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose through I Am Anis.

This movie also rightfully highlights that no one is perfect…not even our mentors, the people we look up to, or our social media motivational speakers. You don’t know what people have done or where they’ve been, so don’t live your life trying to model it according to the tiny fraction they choose to show the public.

Was this film perfect? No

For a film that alternates between the years in the past and present day, there was really no clear distinction in the outfits, props, or overall look and feel.

I would have loved to say that I Am Anis boasts masterful cinematography to match its well-acted and emotional storyline, but it doesn’t. While the visuals weren’t bad, they didn’t elevate the film the way they could have.

The setting of the film was not all that as well, they were limited to a few small spaces, and everything conveniently happened within those spaces. It was giving YouTube movies and while budget can be an issue, it still took a little from the overall experience.

But I think the biggest issue anyone would notice as the film progressed was the fact that not much was truly at stake. We definitely had emotional moments, but there was no real serious issue. I don’t know what I was expecting but David going to apologize just because he feared losing his girlfriend and they hugged and all was little underwhelming for me. 

But did I enjoy the film still? YES!

It started well, the middle made sense and the end worked. We all know that’s not easy in Nollywood, as many movies struggle to stay the course.

I’ll round up this review by saying Biodun Stephen has mastered the art of giving us compelling female characters, flawed but strong, broken but resilient, always realistic and always inspiring. She writes them in such a way that you feel like you know them personally. From Todowede, Sista, Roses and Ivy, and now Anis, just to mention a few.

Who should watch it?
Honestly, the whole family can. They kept everything pretty decent. Anyone who has ever taken a wrong turn in life should watch it, a girl, a boy, young, old, anyone. The movie shows that actions have consequences, but still, you don’t have to be limited by those consequences. You can rise up and rewrite your story.

I Am Anis is available on Circuits TV and you should definitely check it out today.

My Rating: 7/10

Have you seen the movie, please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Read the review of After 30 here.

We have a fun and vibrant community on Instagram and Twitter, you can also join the conversation there or Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!