Life and Living it - the best Ghanaian movie out there

So finally, I saw the movie, 'Life and Living it' again. I first saw it while I was in Ghana in the early part of the year. I joined my brother and a lot of KNUST students to experience the Tech premiere. In the days, where the Rex and Roxy Cinemas of Ghana are extinct, any Ghanaian movie that has the guts to have a premiere or cinema showing really means business. Sparrow Productions does. I watched this movie in a movie theater atmosphere, with crowd reaction at its peak and surround sound quality. I thoroughly, I mean, totally, enjoyed the experience. The movie itself was awesome. Flat out the best Ghanaian production I have ever seen until convinced otherwise.

'Life and living it' is a movie about four young men just navigating their daily lives. The movie has a star cast - the foursome are - Brew Riverson Jnr, Adjetey Annan (Pusher of Things We Do For Love fame), Chris Attoh and Nana Kwame Osei Sarpong. Other actors and actresses are Fritz Baffour, Rama Brew, Bibie Brew, Vivienne Achor, Irene Opare and a number of new faces. The fact that the movie has four major characters is a first, it's not focused on a couple of characters which so often bedevils Ghanaian movies into a test of guessing skills. In addition to depth, the movie has a great storyline, and a bold script.


The acting is great and better than what we've been subjected to from Venus and AA Productions, the video quality is better and sound quality is top-notch. Chris Attoh shined in his first major movie role. See him trying to smoke and all. Pusher is supposed to be a comedian but here he was, thrust in a serious role. The 'new' actresses excelled as well and we hope to see more of them.

I watched the movie a second time with a non-Ghanaian friend who couldn't help but point out the boldness of the movie. This movie went places most Ghanaian would not go (literally). There were a lot of 'censored' language, but it was done in the spirit of the film and many people may not even realise it. And should I mention one of the characters bears my first name? How is this movie not one to love?

How about the soundtrack folks? The song at the end of the movie was straight out Americanish - hip hop track with a very nice R&B chorus. If you didn't know Ghanaian music as well as I do (ahem... clears throat), you would have thought the music was by an American. Nope. The track, Together, is by our own Blitz 'The Ambassador' Bazawule, formerly known as Bazaar. Other artistes on the soundtrack include Sena, Hamid Kryz and other Ghanaian acts. You could imagine how my face lit up when 5Five's 'Afrikan Gurlz' was played.

I hope this is not the last of movies from Sparrow Productions. They took their time to make the movie, assembled a great cast, and did the right thing by showing the movie in theaters. The ticket price to watch it at the International Conference Center was about $15. They had two screenings, do the math and see. This is before the DVD/VCD actually comes out and competes with the Pretty Queens, Passion of the Souls, Obra yi, Kyeiwaa Part 12, Kyeiwaa Ba Part 6, among others. Other movie houses should follow Shirley Frimpong Manso's lead. That lady is talented and a gem for Ghanaian entertainment.

Oh, before I go - You can watch the movie online like I did.
Go to this link to check it out and let me know what you think about the movie.