Lionheart is a Nollywood movie. The first to attract the attention of Netflix. The attention is indeed well deserved. It is a story about a woman who despite all odds tries to save her father’s company from ruin after he fell ill.

I may have problems with some things in the movie. Like the failure to separate the persona of non-actor members of the cast from the characters they are playing. That was lazy to me. Also the cinematography needed some work. This is not to say that it was bad, but it could do better.

Despite this, the positive aspects of this movie is so good that it calls for instant forgiveness for all its errs. One of them is the grounded and very realistic performance. Lionheart is the first movie to show such good and astounding performance since the advent of the ‘New Nollywood’. Seeing such grounded performance gladdened my heart.

The plot may not be an Oscar worthy effort. In my opinion is a little bit out of place in actual reality and also contrived. Nevertheless, it was consistent in tone. How it started is also how it flowed through and ended.

Recent Nigerian films released in theatres lack originality. They are focused in visual spectacle and glamour over substance of the story. They are focused on getting a star studded cast rather than their performance. New Nollywood runs on vibes and hi-tech cameras. Sometimes it is not the camera that make the movie, rather how it is held. Then the obnoxious attempt to cover up incompetence with misplaced comedy.

Lionheart offers a grounded experience of everyday life of an entrepreneur in Enugu. Little details in the performance from how they talk, walk, move and even simple gestures go a long way to further immerse you in the realistic world the painted in the movie.

The Old Nollywood which existed before the revival of the Nigerian cinema culture had the best movies, with original stories and good acting. It did lack the technical assistance we have today, but it was a true work of art. Lionheart brought the flavour of Old Nollywood in the movie.

Other Nigerian movies should emulate Lionheart and even do better. The cringe worthy movies that are being made recently is very disturbing.