*Roses and Ivy* is a touching story by Biodun Stephen, who is great at telling simple and relatable stories. The movie follows two sisters, Evelyn and Roselyn, who live very different lives. Evelyn, the older sister, is responsible, hardworking, and their father's favorite. Roselyn, the younger one, is carefree, rebellious, and struggles in school.
Things take a turn when their father has a stroke on the day of Evelyn's big exam. She puts her dreams on hold to take care of the family, while Roselyn continues as usual. When Evelyn finally gets into university, Roselyn is ready to go too. Meanwhile, Evelyn's old friend and crush, Lanre, moves to the UK, and years later, when he returns, he falls in love with Roselyn instead. Once again, Evelyn feels left behind. However, years into Roselyn and Lanre's marriage, Evelyn finally gets a chance to win at something.
The movie's best parts are the amazing actors. Uche Montana does a great job showing Roselyn's change from a playful girl to a woman desperate to have a child. Munachi Abi is outstanding as Evelyn, perfectly playing both the caring older sister and the woman who eventually decides to stand up for herself. Taiye Arimoro, who plays Lanre, also delivers a strong performance, showing different emotions like frustration and joy in a believable way. Jaiye Kuti, as Lanre's mother, adds to the film's strength.
The film feels real because many families can relate to this kind of story-one person sacrificing everything while another seems to get all the luck. It explores themes like love, sacrifice, unfairness in life, and resentment. The locations, costumes, and even the way relationships are shown, including the intimate scenes, are well done.
Overall, Roses and Ivy is a great movie that makes you think about life, fairness, and how sometimes, no matter how much you give, things don't always go your way. If you've seen this movie, let me know what you think!
