Duration: 1 hour 47 minutes

Director: David Gitonga

Cast: Pascal Tokodi, Catherine Kamau, Tope Tedela, Brenda Wairimu, Brian Ogola, Patricia Kihoro, Justin Mirichii, Meg Otanwa, Francis Onwochei, Wale Ojo, Tope Tedela and many others.

Release date: January 2023

“Disconnect: The Wedding Planner,” directed by Kenyan filmmaker David Gitonga, known for his work on “Nairobi Half-Life,” is a romantic comedy.

It is a sequel to the 2018 Kenyan film “Disconnect.”

Unlike Namaste Wahala, a collaboration of Nollywood and Bollywood, ‘Disconnect: The Wedding Planner’, a collaboration of Nollywood and Kenya, lacks a connecting plot that resonates with Nigeria and Kenya.

Unplug: The Wedding Planner

The film had every opportunity to connect Nollywood and Kenya’s growing film industry, but ended up being completely strange due to its disjointed plot.

The opening scenes of the film, a supposed romantic comedy, make no impression; instead, they leave one completely confused about what the story is intended to accomplish. It takes a lot of patience to see it through to the end.

However, in the world of romantic comedies there are ups and downs, rights and wrongs, but ‘Disconnect: The Wedding Planner’ would have been a remarkable experience with its beautiful cinematography, diversity of cultures and cross-country scenic location. and a good measurable collection of actors.

However, with all these trappings, the film presented a sacred void, not only in its plot, but lacked the depth necessary to truly engage the audience on both an emotional and comedic level.

Plot

‘Disconnect: The Wedding Planner’ revolves around Otis (Pascal Tokodi), a Nairobi playboy with a knack for prioritizing his interests above all else.

When faced with the opportunity to secure an investment from his wealthy Nigerian friend Dele, who is planning his wedding to Rita, Otis takes on the role of wedding planner despite having no experience in the field.

Trouble begins when Otis is scammed, forcing him and his skeptical friends to scramble at the last minute to organize a wedding in Mombasa, Kenya.

The problem, however, is that Dele and Rita specifically wanted a traditional Yoruba wedding, which led to culture clashes, misunderstandings, and other complications.

Disconnects

Like the film’s title tagline, ‘Disconnects: The Wedding Planner’, the film fails to connect anything, either artistically or literally.

One of the film’s major problems is its overload of characters and subplots.

Although Otis is the central character, the film features many supporting characters, each with their own dramatic background.

From Celine and Richard’s rocky relationship to Judy’s discovery of her unfaithful fiancé, it’s difficult to discern what story the film is trying to tell.

Not forgetting Dele and Rita, as they fight to have a destination wedding.

As the plot unfolds, the film’s attempts to tie personal drama to the chaotic wedding preparations fall flat.

Characters make questionable decisions without meaningful consequences or redemptive arcs, leaving the audience with a sense of frustration rather than empathy or satisfaction.

“Disconnect: The Wedding Planner” struggles to maintain a coherent narrative, leaving viewers wondering what the film is really about.

And then on a normal level, the movie tells us that Dele is Yoruba. His girlfriend, Rita, is Igbo and they both live in Nigeria, but are looking for a “traditional Yoruba wedding destination” in Kenya. Without giving reasons for such a decision, the film questions common ideologies about African weddings.

In conclusion, there is a glaring absence of narrative synergy between the subplots and the central idea behind the film, leaving a noticeable gap in the entire film.

The film lacked a worthy plot to harness the potential of uniting Nigeria and Kenya.

It’s a failed comedy and a sad attempt at romance; In truth, categorizing this film as a ‘Com-Rom’ would be far from accurate.

connect

In all its mirage, the film narrates the place of the family, a sacrosanct ideal in African tradition, although not adequately exploited, but an attempt worthy of praise.

It is evident when Dele arrives in Kenya with Rita and her father, along with his girlfriend’s parents.

Furthermore, the presence of Nollywood actors such as Francis Onwochei and Wale Ojo, who played the role of the bride and groom’s parents, Rita and Dele, provided some comedy.

Still, it wasn’t redeeming enough to save the film from its disengaging failures.

Saved by the film’s beautiful cinematography, the feeling lacks the excitement or excitement typical of romantic comedies.

Ultimately, “Unplug: The Wedding Planner” can be a good distraction when you’ve exhausted other viewing options.

The title may catch your attention, but it misses the mark.

Unplug: The Wedding Planner is showing on Netflix