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| Contract |
Sometimes closing a contract comes with a few loose ends.
A contract between two parties can be a delicate undertaking. It undergoes various iterations until both parties finally agree and sign off on the execution copy only to bear witness to unforeseen complications down the road. In this Ghanaian romantic comedy aptly named Contract, a surrogate agrees to carry a baby for a 30 something business exec who just wants to have a child without the traditional trappings of marriage. Chaos ensues.
With the world of high finance stealing more and more of Peter (Hlomla Dandala) time, and a multitude of meaningless relationships serving as stark reminder of what he doesn’t want, the pressure to start a family has become paramount. This is made even more urgent with the oppressive meddling of his mother (Doris Ansah).
In a chance meeting at a restaurant, the quick on her feet Abena (Yvonne Okoro), uses Peter as a foil to evade a sticky date situation. As it turns out Abena is in desperate need of a job, but the constant objectification by potential employers was taking its toll and money’s getting tight. Peter sees Abena as surrogate material, and knowing her financial situation, proposes the option, which she summarily rebuffs as this delicate cat and mouse game begins. Abena eventually sees the surrogate contract as a viable option. She then enters into negotiations with Peter which is witnessed by his close friend and advisor Kuuku (Joseph Benjamin). In the end this contract becomes the least of their problems as the unpredictability of life throws curve ball after curve ball with comedic consequences. Like, what happens if Abena has two or three babies, or the challenges of keeping his mother in the dark about the wedding that won’t happen.
Director, Shirley Frimpong-Manso has tapped into the travails of the modern day relationship and what it really means to try and have it all. Elevating this narrative is actor Hlomla Dandala’s convincing portrayal of a self-centered, want heavy, materialistic alpha male whose control issues are only superseded by his love of self.
Verdict: 4 / 5 – The delicate dance between strong assertive characters combined with a universal narrative on the ups and downs of the modern day relationships is the true success of this rom-com. Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s light hearted take on the issues surrounding surrogacy and relationships are the real take aways here. So kick back and enjoy.
Director, Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s feature, Contract has been selected as the 2013 ReelWorld Film Festival Opening Gala Screening on April 10th, 2013, 7pm at Famous Players Canada Square.
Genre: Comedy
Country: Ghana
Year of Production: 2012
Runtime: 125 mins
Principal Cast: Hlomla Dandala, Yvonne Okoro, and Joseph Benjamin
Director: Shirley Frimpong-Manso
Writer: Hetty Owusu, Shirley Frimpong-Manso
Producer: Yvonne Okoro, Ken Attoh, Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Hlomla Dandala, Joseph Benjamin
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