THE STORY – The film follows society woman Clarissa as she prepares to host a party at her home in Lagos, Nigeria, where she will unexpectedly encounter once-intimate friends from her youth. As the group reflects on their shared past over the course of a single night, memories of their intricate relationships, passionate love, hidden desires, and lost aspirations give rise to bittersweet reckoning.
THE CAST – Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, Ayo Edebiri, Nikki Amuka-Bird, India Amarteifio, Toheeb Jimoh & Fortune Nwafor
THE TEAM – Chuko Esiri (Director/Writer) & Arie Esiri (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 125 Minutes
The most impressive film adaptations of novels are not always the most faithful to the text, but rather demonstrate a unique artistic vision and a clear interpretation of the story. A filmmaker’s relationship to the material tends to be far more evocative than the minutiae of what gets included or omitted from the book at hand. Such is the case for Arie and Chuko Esiri’s “Clarissa,” an elegantly crafted reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s multi-layered novel, “Mrs. Dalloway.” Nigerian twin brothers Arie and Chuko, among the very few selections of African cinema at Cannes this year, make a timeless Woolf classic feel incredibly fresh with their singular perspective. “Clarissa” deftly replicates the feeling of getting lost, in the absolute best of ways, within a great novel and finding something new to explore.
The Lagos-set story follows Clarissa (a luminous Sophie Okonedo) as she prepares for a party at her home and unexpectedly reconnects with childhood friends along the way. While the planning unfolds, Clarissa’s resurfaced memories touch on past complicated relationships and unrequited loves, each one shaping the personality we meet in the present day. Set against the backdrop of modern Nigeria and with a thematic focus on Woolf’s views on colonialism, the film offers an insightful look at intersecting inner lives. The narrative split between timelines gives way to in-depth characterizations.
One of the film’s greatest strengths is how it establishes young Clarissa (India Amarteifio in what should be a star-making role) and her circle of friends, including Sally (Ayo Edebiri) and Peter (Toheeb Jimoh). There is a wonderful vibrancy to the dialogue, which speaks to a reflective and sharp screenplay by Chuko Esiri. His writing expertly jumps through the characters’ perspectives to trace how a shared stream of consciousness shapes their identities and viewpoints. In one standout scene, we learn that Peter is a poetry writer who has written a book for Nigerians about the colonial experience. Clarissa speaks to the intentionality within Peter’s text. She points out that his use of the word “primal” suggests rough and unrefined, and that we cannot ask readers to reclaim words. Clarissa’s eye for precision also extends into her adult life, as she emphasizes the importance of positioning paintings and furniture with exacting precision.
There is a beautiful intentionality behind each and every character interaction. The weight of their words maintains excellent momentum, as does the film’s stunning visual language. The cinematography highlights small, everyday cinematic beauty, whether natural light seeping into a room or a curtain moving gently in the wind. Seamless transition scenes and dissolves help create a gorgeous, flowing pace. While the film has some stretches of meandering storytelling, the overall fragmented approach enhances how characters are observed over time. Arie and Chuko Esiri’s delicate direction encourages us to pause and reflect on characters, particularly through recurring reflections and mirror shots.
The film poses compelling questions, such as: what of one’s identity is lost over time, and what is lost generationally? In a standout moment, Clarissa asks Peter (played by Toheeb Jimoh in flashbacks and David Oyelowo in the present day) if there is any part of him that loves her. She doesn’t think she embodies who he wants her to be. It’s a terrific example of channeling Woolf’s writing and how the narrative flows through their characters. We are given these fascinating, fragmented streams of consciousness side by side, overlapping to create a dynamic reimagining of Woolf’s writing style.
The ensemble cast finds several moments to bring dimension to their characters. Okonedo’s Clarissa, for instance, experiences different reactions based on which person she unexpectedly runs into at the party. Some appearances evoke a swell of yearning, while others are of pure joy. When Clarissa runs into Sally (Nikki Amuka-Bird), we instantly feel the fragments of their early days together, which have developed into a romantic energy. Ayo Edebiri, who plays young Sally, leaves a standout impression with an inviting screen presence. The ensemble also finds reverberating expressions of longing, namely Okonedo and Oyelowo, whose characters share an incredibly powerful reconnection at the party. Both embody a stirring surrender to the intensity of their emotions, grasping onto the bittersweet connection that has never left them.
One of the many brilliant achievements of “Clarissa” is how Arie and Chuko Esiri make centuries-old material feel deeply new and relevant. Their direction and the gorgeous framing of this story work in lockstep to recreate the feeling of tracing characters through history to piece together their identities and relationships. Powered by excellent performances from Sophie Okonedo and India Amarteifio, who convey the multitudes of a fascinating titular character, “Clarissa” shines as a unique perspective on Woolf and exemplifies the Esiri brothers’ compelling vision as filmmakers.
