Movie Review: The Funeral of Kwadae – A Laid-Back Tragedy of Life, Lies & Family

There’s a very Ghanaian saying that goes, “Abusua dɔ funu,” which translates as “family loves the corpse.” As morbid as it sounds, it captures a deeply rooted reality of how some families appreciate you more when you are dead than when you are alive. It’s a truth we’ve all seen, heard, or experienced in one way or another. Suddenly, the same family that was too busy or broke to show up for you while you were alive, will somehow scrape together resources to give you a “befitting” burial.

Writer and director Nana Obiri Yeboah taps into this harsh reality in his latest feature film ‘The Funeral of Kwadae‘, a laid-back but meaningful mockumentary-styled drama about one man’s desperate act to be appreciated and supported by his family.

Set in the fictional town of Nipa Hia Mmoa, we meet Kwadae (played by Brian Angels), a struggling boutique owner drowning in debt. After taking a loan from a notorious loan shark, Atsu, just to stay afloat, his world crumbles further when his shop is completely wiped out in a burglary. With nothing else to fall on, Kwadae resorts to menial jobs to survive but nothing yields enough to pay off Atsu, or even save him from being evicted.

Out of sheer desperation, he hatches a risky but odd plan with the help of his closest friends, Joe Pee (played by Solomon Fixon-Owoo Jr.) and Kay (played by Kobina Amissah-Sam). He decides to fake his own death, hoping that his family, particularly his rich Uncle will put together a lavish funeral for him. Hopeful that he can abscond with the donations and proceeds from his funeral to start life afresh elsewhere. But of course, this plan isn’t without challenges as the whole town is soon shaken and reeled in by the news of his passing.

The film opens with a funeral scene, a perfect foreshadowing of what’s to come. Among those present is Mr. Bonsam (played by David McKenzie), Kwadae’s uncle, who makes a very generous donation that immediately sets the tone for the film’s underlying theme. For anyone familiar with Ghanaian culture, that gesture hits hard. You start to wonder, was it really about love or just another typical, needless show of wealth?

The plot flows smoothly, though not without some embellishments. One such is the arrival of Afi (played by Adomaa), a beautiful nurse who moves into the same compound as Kwadae. There’s an instant spark between them and they share a few sweet moments, but the film doesn’t explore their budding romance in depth. Still, Afi brings a sense of calm, grounding, and even purpose to Kwadae’s otherwise chaotic life. The support he receives from his friends Kay and Joe Pee is also admirable. This highlights the importance of having the best of friends are acquaintances in your circle even in trying times. In Kwadea‘s case, these two friends are willing to stick around and help with his outrageous plan.

Narratively, in classic Quentin Tarantino style, the film is creatively divided into five main chapters, each walking us through the events leading to the staged funeral, and a final chapter dealing with the aftermath and consequences of this plan. Kwadae himself serves as the constant narrator throughout the film, using a personal and candid tone that helps the viewer connect deeply with his struggles. His narration tilts the film further towards its mockumentary approach.

Personally, I found some of the dialogue in this narrative to be a tad too refined in contrast to the film’s setting. Not quite Shakespearean, but filled with English phrases and similies that the average Ghanaian wouldn’t typically use in daily conversation. Granted, this is not an inherent flaw and does feel more like an artistic choice but it does expose some lapses in the performance from some of the actors. Given the film’s culturally intimate setting, a choice to use more local dialects would have grounded the characters a bit more and perhaps made some of the performances better for me. But it is also very obvious that the narrative is within a fictional world and perhaps the choice of dialogue style completes this world-building choice.

That said, the overall acting is decent. Brian Angels carries the weight of the lead role with admirable conviction. His portrayal of Kwadae allows us to appreciate his joy, desperation, fear, and regret as well. Fortunately, the script also allows him space to explore all those emotions in a way that feels genuine and not overdone.

There’s also some intensity captured in the film, especially in scenes with Atsu, played by Don Kingsley Yamoah. His presence alone adds danger and urgency to the story, and he embodies the menace of a loan shark convincingly.

As a drama, ‘The Funeral of Kwadae‘ surprises with moments of humour. There is enough to laugh about, however, I can’t help but notice some missed opportunities to tap into some Ga cultural nuances and stereotypes. This would have certainly added some more relatable humour for the Ghanaian audience. But again, this could all have been a very conscious attempt at sticking within the walls of this fictional world created for this narrative.

Aesthetically, the film delivers pleasing visuals. The cinematography from William Kojo Agbeti beautifully captures the everyday communal living of the people in Nipa Hia Mmoa. Nothing feels glamorized or exaggerated, which works well for a story grounded in realism. A closer look at the shots reveals an intentional approach to complement the storytelling. When Kwadae is in high spirits, the shots are steady and well-framed. But as he begins to face challenges, the frames become tighter and noticeably unsteady almost as if his world is falling apart and his debts are closing in on him. This is quite reminiscent of cinematographer John Alcott‘s work on the 1980 film ‘The Shinning‘ by Stanley Kubrick.

My only disappointment here would be some of the soundscoring choices. Some of the musical choices felt like they were borrowed from a different story world entirely and didn’t quite fit the setting that the film establishes.

Nonetheless, ‘The Funeral of Kwadae‘ for me is not just entertaining. It is also powerful and reflective in a simple and honest way. It forces us to ask questions about the value we place on people, especially those closest to us, while they are alive. “What is the importance of family if you treat yours this way?” Kwadae asks his uncle in the 3rd chapter of the film. It’s a question that feels poignant and sits with you long after the film has ended.

I’ll score this film 7.5/10. It’s a compelling piece made with some intent some humour, and just enough weight to make you think about life, love and the essence of family. It is a story I believe would be very relatable to many, regardless of their backgrounds.

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