GATEMAN

Posted in Recommended by - September 03, 2017
GATEMAN

Starring: Ruth Kadiri, Bolanle Ninalowo, Genny Uzoma, Benedict Johnson

Synopsis:
The son of a retiring business owner is set to take over the family business but decides to work his way up, starting from the position of gateman.

Review:
Chief James (Chris Akwarandu) had been running a successful business for years and the time came to hand the company over to his son, Daniel (Bolanle Ninalowo). The employees weren’t familiar with Daniel so he decided to start his employment incognito, from the bottom up, in order to learn the business.

Day one came and Daniel got his first rude awakening when he was instantly treated like sh*t by the supervising gateman. But things looked up when Francis (Ruth Kadiri), the Human Resources Manager, took an interest in him. She overlooked that he was subordinate and she instead focused on the “hot” guy beneath the uniform. Conflict set in when her ex-boyfriend learned of her attraction to Daniel and set out to make life miserable.

Let’s Talk. This is a drama that wreaked of sexual tension and office politics. It’s reminiscent of the Hollywood series titled “Undercover Boss” where company executives pretend they’re employees and mingle with staff to learn of flaws in the operation. 

During the scheme Daniel (Bolanle Ninalowo) got quite an earful and even experienced physical abuse during his shift. The HR Manager flirted with him which could have resulted in sexual harassment charges but his equal interest in her aborted any such accusation.

Unfortunately, there were a few flaws. First off, the fact that Daniel, a new employee, avoided normal procedures and presumably wasn’t interviewed by the HR department should have been a red flag to Francis, the HR Manager and love interest. If Daniel wasn’t hired through HR then she should have questioned how he got the job.

Secondly, Daniel, as security guard, never buttoned his shirt all the way up. That was unprofessional and simply a way for the actor showcase his buff body. Look the part! Better direction was needed in those scenes. There was even a time when he took off his shirt to wash a car. Really? Half naked at work? Of course, this played into the intentional sexual aura but it would have been more acceptable if his shirt was buttoned in the other scenes.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen was when Daniel and Francis met for the first time instead of cutting to a scene where they had apparently already met. Seeing their eyes lock for the first time, setting off sparks for a potential romance would have been enticing.

There were other issues such as physical abuse which, required instant termination. One of the scenes suffered distracting noise when utensils scraped against plates as the family ate dinner. The constant “clanking” noises obstructed the dialogue. Maybe plastic forks should be considered in dining scenes because sound is often an issue in African movies. 

Regardless of a few drawbacks, the story was captivating. We had the day-to-day dealings of an office sprinkled with a little romance. Ruth’s character was blessed with the perception to see past a uniform while Bolanle’s character put the brakes on a possible love affair in order to complete his mission.

But at the core of it all was prejudice. The gateman job is a low-ranked position that equates to a lack of respect, low education and/or skill. The writer set out to dispel the stereotype with gatemen that had valid reasons for accepting the job other than ineptitude.

Casting was perfection. Ruth Kadiri was just adorable as she embodied her character in a way that was appealing. Although Bolanle gave a smooth performance he seemed to rely on his body to sell the character instead of allowing himself to be corny when the role called for it.

Video and audio were adequate. In terms of locations, a more corporate environment was desired, especially because the business was supposed to be successful enough to employ a personnel department.

In the real world, will gatemen garner respect as a result of this movie? Probably not. But it was a gratifying watch that roped nepotism, lust, and office politics into a storyline we don’t normally see. RECOMMEND

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20 Comments on "GATEMAN"

  • N

    I’m suprise this movie got this high rating. The cast was good. The storyline was not all that, it was too unrealistic for my liking.

    • TalkAfricanMovies

      Hi N, It was clearly low budget but I enjoyed the fantasy and as you stated, the cast was good.

  • Goma

    Honestly I loved the movie. It teaches one to be humble…. You do not know who’s who in this life we’re in. I recommend this.

    • TalkAfricanMovies

      Hi Goma, I totally agree with you. As you can see, I enjoyed this movie too.

  • opeyemi

    I haven’t been able to see part 4 and 5 on youtube

    • TalkAfricanMovies

      Parts 4 and 5? Who would cut the movie up into that many parts? I know it’s frustrating to watch part of a movie and not be able to see the rest of it. I’ve been through it. Unfortunately, I don’t know where you can find the movie in its entirety. Good luck!

  • I am very happy to see what call (download)

  • Molebi

    My dad watched this movie and spoke very highly of it. He loved the supervising gateman, I doubt he would agree that he was rude. I love that you mentioned the unbuttoned shirt, I found it unrealistic and annoying. I believe it could have been weaved into the story rather than turning a blind eye, his supervisor could have called him out or something. It was an interesting movie to watch.

    • TalkAfricanMovies

      Hi Molebi, despite a few faults, this movie warmed my spirit. And you’re right, the unbuttoned shirt should have been addressed by the supervisor and therefore incorporated into the story. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Much love.

  • Lizzy Patrick

    Nino u are the man

  • sarah

    i love this movie

  • Cyprian ikezuora

    infarct the people I watch this move with said if this is how Nigeria move is that he will not watch India move again.
    I so much love the move
    please can I have the write up of the move please..

  • Manpado

    This is my best movie of that year. The last part was really awesome and amazing. The first Nollywood I posted on social media that took me off. Ruth, I love you so much. Nino, you are the man.

  • infact I always fall for this movie despite I watch it sedomly but never faded to up my views I always look after the discrepancy between the two loveable actors and actress Balaji ninalowo and the other lady .. I love dis

  • Ali Gassama

    please can someone help me with the music tittles that play as soundtrack ..Gate Man..

  • Ali Gassama

    please can someone help me with the music tittles that play as soundtrack ..Gate Man..I just watched this movie yesterday and I love the music pls someone help me with title please

    • TalkAfricanMovies

      Ali, please check the movie credits for soundtrack information.

  • apangu iddi amin

    It the best movie among the rest that i like given the hidden interest in order to know who cares much about his job and who is hard working in his position.

    • TalkAfricanMovies

      Yes, it was sort of like an undercover boss situation. One of my favorite movies.

  • Adedayo Adebayo

    I so much loved et cool

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