From Bittersweet To Breakthrough: “Strained (2023)” Unveils A Raw Portrait Of Motherhood.

INTRODUCTION.

“Strained (2023)” is a Nollywood Drama that touches on a very important societal topic. Now, even though this topic of domestic abuse has been discussed severely, Strained makes you see this particular norm from a different point of view, and not in the way you expect.

While Strained is a beautiful family movie, It talks strongly about physical abuse and shows some scenes where domestic violence is portrayed.

Strained (2023) is directed by Okey Oku and written by Onyinye Amadi, this is beautiful writing. It features some very talented Legendary Nollywood actors such as Queen Nwokoye and Padita Agu.

It has a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. On Netflix, it is rated 14+. 

WHAT IS STRAINED ABOUT? PLOT/SYNOPSIS.

Ebere (Tracey George)  has just given birth to a beautiful girl. She has a very supportive husband, Ozo (Sam Nnabuike), and what you can call a peaceful home.

Ebere has grown into this successful woman without the presence of her biological mother who left when she was barely a teen and so she has developed this deep resentment towards her mother, Abigail (Queen Nwokoye). Now Ebere has a newborn and as a first-time mum, needs all the help and guidance she can get. Ozo who had to take a work trip suggests Abigail comes over to assist Ebere.

Abigail arrives and is delighted to help out but they struggle to connect as mother and daughter even after Abigail clearly states the reason for her absence from her life.

This film leaves a bittersweet feeling in you, it leaves a lot of questions in your mind. Should Domestic Violence be Managed? Can the abuser change? Should the abused find reasons to hold onto and stay back in the relationship?

MY THOUGHT ON STRAINED.

This is not the kind of movie I would usually see the way it started but in getting to the middle of this film, it did strike some feelings in me because I grew up in a society in Nigeria where domestic violence was seen as normal, men were advised to discipline their wives.

I like how it shows the mother-daughter relationship, no one can take the place of a mother in a child’s life. The dialogue between Ebere and her mother was tear-jerking, I could feel the emotions and even though I wasn’t fully in support of Ebere hating her mum so much, I could still understand her points and sympathize with her. 

The director tried to balance it in such a way we get to understand things from each point of view.

CHARACTER PERFORMANCE.

Although it is a short film, Tracey George outdid herself. She excelled in her role and gives us the emotions and fears of a first-time mum, you can see her go from this uptight and hurt person to a fun, happier, and more relaxed woman who is at peace with herself.

Abigail came in at the beginning and expected everything to just be okay (like what is that?? We have not seen nor spoken for 13 years and you just waltz in and expect everything to be great??? Nah) but as it went on, she came to terms with the fact that girls are not smiling.

I don’t think I have mentioned how great Sam Nnabuike was. He gave us the man- man-of-the-house authority vibes then we saw the cute and loving husband sides as well. He delivered this role and if I must say, he is a very fine young man.

VISUAL DESIGN AND CINEMATOGRAPHY.

The visuals were clear and had great picture quality as well, Nollywood seems to be doing this right these days. I think the visuals stood out because they did not give us the fake aesthetics of the Nollywood remarried couple house movie. 

Now while this film might come off as a low-budget film, the set feels so realistic I can bet I know real-life people living in just regular houses like theirs. The house gives this regular Nigerian house vibes, I guess I’m trying to say it just felt real and homely.

WRITING STYLE AND STORY.

This story was beautifully written as stated earlier, it feels fresh even though this topic has been talked about before in movies and I am glad they were able to stick to the theme from start to finish.

How Domestic violence affects the children in a marriage needs to be talked about more, and how it affects the parent-child relationship. I think these were the points that stood out in this film.

THEMES.

Just like Afamefuna (2023), “Strained” tackles deep topics. Topics like domestic violence, the complex relationship between mothers and daughters, especially when a tiny human throws a wrench into the dynamic. Will Ebere and her mom finally mend fences? Or will their reunion lead to even more stress?

This movie also explores how even the strongest bonds can get stretched thin. But hey, maybe a little laughter and some quality bonding time (with or without the baby!) can help bring everyone closer.

AUDIENCE COMMENTS.

CONCLUSION.

“Strained (2023)” leaves you thinking about the messy beauty of family. Will Ebere and her mom achieve a picture-perfect reconciliation? Probably. Probably not. But the movie offers a hopeful message: even the most tangled relationships can find forgiveness and, maybe even, a new kind of closeness.

People also watch – A Tribe Called Judah (2023).

Images or videos used in this work belongs to the respective movie and its copyright holders. We do not claim any legal rights or ownership over this image, and we appreciate the movie’s creators for sharing such a captivating visual.

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