While a fuel crisis plagues the people of Lagos, Nigeria, a young cab driver dreams of a better life. Lady (Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah) is one of the few female cab drivers in the area, a fact she holds as a point of pride. She refuses to organize with male cab drivers, focusing instead on making as much money on her own as possible. Lady is saving up to move to Freetown, a community of Africans who returned to the continent after imperialism sent them and their loved ones elsewhere.
The closest thing she has to family in Lagos is Iya (Binta Ayo Mogaji), whom she lives with and quietly cares for. But when her childhood friend Pinky (Amanda Oruh) pops back into her life, Lady’s dormant emotions start to come to the surface. Pinky is a sex worker and wants to offer her friend an opportunity to make more money as a driver for her pimp, Fine Boy (Bucci Franklin). All Lady has to do is drive Pinky and the other women to and from their appointments around the city.
The Bottom Line A vivid debut.
Venue: Berlin Film Festival (Panorama); Sundance Film Festival (World Dramatic Competition)Cast: Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemiseye, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Seun Kuti, Bucci FranklinDirector/Writer: Olive Nwosu 1 hour 33 minutes
Though reluctant at first, Lady takes the job, secretly happy that her friend is back in her life. But on the surface, she rages about the circumstances of their reunion — Pinky left the life she had with Lady and Iya to do sex work, and now that she’s back, Lady struggles to accept her occupation. But the need for money is enough to keep Lady driving the women. Along with Pinky, there’s the outspoken Sugar (Tinuade Jemiseye), Cinderella (Eva Ibiam), Lolo (Precious Agu Eke), Lekpa (Fadesaye Olateru-Olagbegi) and Fanta (Agu Chinenye Esthyraph). Their names add a layer of playfulness to their work as the women try to stay positive about their lives and futures.
But despite their good attitudes, Lady can’t help but think they’re being used and exploited. The concept of sex seems to terrify her, but every night she gets in her car and drives them wherever they need to go. Ultimately, Lady just wants the women to be safe, and who better to ensure that than her?
Lady volleys between the cool and calm mask she wears, explosions of rage toward men and frustration with the patriarchal society she was born into. Even as the women try to get her to relax and party with them when they aren’t working, Lady can never be in the moment for too long. Ujah plays Lady as a woman uncomfortable with her body, using her stiffness as a form of protection. At first it seems like Lady might be queer and secretly in love with Pinky, but as the film goes on a more complicated dynamic emerges. Pinky allows Lady to yell and slut shame her, feeling guilty about leaving her friend to become a lonely, anxious woman. But over time, the other workers tire of their caustic dynamic and begin to probe Lady for the root of her anger. Despite all the conversation, it never quite becomes clear.
Written and directed by Olive Nwosu, Lady is a colorful and dark neo-noir about the eternal struggle of women to gain and maintain their own financial independence. By being a cab driver, Lady is able to move through the world without thinking about her femininity or body. But once Pinky is back in the picture, Lady is forced to confront her fear of sex and distaste for men. There are no easy answers, only circular conversations. Every time it seems like the dialogue has broken free of its patterns, Lady has another outburst. The film is at its best when it’s calm, showing the beauty of Lagos and the power of community.
Throughout Lady, a would-be activist by the name of DJ Revolution (Seun Kuti) can be heard in voiceover and on the various car radios, speaking of the political unrest building in the city. Though our heroine tries to ignore it, his influence only grows, but the political background of the film feels under-developed. At 93 minutes, Lady could stand to be longer. The conversations between the women could go further. Nwosu is digging around in fertile ground, but there’s always a sense that things could go deeper. As it is, the film excels at depicting the complexity of female friendship within a devastating and isolating economic landscape.
