This four-part drama series follows the story of two sisters, their shattered bond, broken loyalty, and all the pain that comes with it. Guys, we have another Biodun Stephen special!
What did I like?
I really liked the story. It’s a very simple story, just like any other Biodun Stephen story, but it worked. This series is a touching and bittersweet story that addressed the strangely complicated relationship between two siblings.
I liked the storytelling. At the beginning, I was a little skeptical because it started with Rose narrating her story to a therapist. This is a common trope, and most times, it gets really boring. But as the whole thing progressed, the storytelling drew me in. I forgot about the therapist and just focused on these three people. I felt so many things while watching this film. I was sad, I was upset, and I was rooting for these fictional but fully fleshed-out women like they were actual people.
Acting and casting WORKED. A perfect cast in my opinion. Taye Arimoro was great. I liked Jaiye Kuti’s performance. The point where she got upset with her son for his bad behavior? I was just laughing and thinking, Mummy, can you stay in one place???
As for the two lead actresses, each of these women brought something unique to their roles. Munachi Abii gave an amazing performance. I think what I liked the most about it was how effortless it looked. She was just doing her thing. It felt so real, I wanted to reach through the screen and offer her my hands in solidarity. The best performance, however, was from. Even though I was sooooo upset with her character, Roselyn, she delivered such a nuanced and compelling performance. It was really impressive.
Plot progression was really good. It was crafted to engage us and be deeply absorbing. I liked how emotional this movie was.
If I were to describe the 3 main characters, I’d say:
Roselyn was selfish, entitled, spoilt, mentally unstable, emotionally unintelligent and manipulative… a user who got upset because, for once in her life, she was on the receiving end of people’s bad behaviour.
Lanre was annoying small. He treated Ivy so shabbily but I guess they already grew apart, so she was just a stranger to him. He was a good husband to a very large extent. He was really patient too, and I felt bad for him at some point until he messed it up and did what he did.
Ivy represents all those people who choose everybody else over themselves. That’s not okay either. It is important to live for yourself. I know there is always this urge for elder siblings to act as parents to their younger ones, but you are not a parent. You are a child too. Know your place. Do what you can and live for yourself abeg. That way, no matter what happens, you’ll know you did the best you could for yourself!
I liked the themes addressed in this series: love, life, betrayal, forgiveness, and family. Roses & Ivy is a surprisingly disturbing portrait of humanity. Its message seems very unfair, but it is sooo true—bad things happen to good people, and life is unfair. I really felt that Evelyn deserved a break, that life had dealt her too many unfair blows, but I knew that this was the reality for so many.
Were there issues?
This was not really an issue for me because I honestly did not care; I was just focused on the story. But for the sake of transparency, I should point it out—the setting and cinematography, while adequate, could have been more visually compelling to match the emotional weight of the story. It was giving YouTube movie.
The only thing I did not like about the film was how it ended 😢.
So why exactly did this film end with everyone begging Roselyn for her forgiveness? How?? Why?? At no point did her character get to the point where she realized she had done anything wrong to any of them. They absolved her of any wrongdoing, no responsibility, no accountability. I was upset!!!
Your sister knows you in ways that nobody else does, both the good and the bad. She knew her sister liked him. She even admitted that herself when she was narrating the story to the therapist. But she was not even sensitive at all. After living her best life with the man she knew Ivy also liked, she now had the audacity to ask her to do something so painful.
So where is the part where she takes responsibility??
I also did not like how they suddenly made Ivy’s character into a jealous and bitter person. She genuinely cared for and was happy for her sister. The only thing she begrudged her was the man. That was the only thing her soul could not give up. She had given all her life, and for once, she just decided to be selfish and take. Yes, she messed up, but that’s the only thing she was guilty of, and that’s the only thing she should have apologized for. I did not like the fact that they made her into this bad person who was secretly unhappy about her sister’s success.
Someone asked me: Why didn’t they do IVF? Lanre’s sperm and Ivy’s egg? I think it’s a valid question.
But still yet, I liked this one.
When I reviewed Sista last year, I wrote that it created an extraordinary sense of sympathy rarely matched by other movies. Honestly, we can say almost the same for Roses & Ivy because it was so sad 😭.
It is advisable to watch this one with someone. After the closing credits, you just feel the strong urge to discuss the injustice and unfairness you just saw with someone. I would say this is best savoured in a movie night kind of setting so everyone can have heated arguments during and after. But I must say, it’ll make the mood a little sad…so you need to have a feel-good something on the side to rinse out your eyes immediately after you finish and restore the energy.
Overall, it was a great watch. It was an absorbing, emotionally powerful experience.
My Rating: 8/10
Have you seen the movie, please share your thoughts with us in the comments below
Read the review of Lisabi.
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