Behind the Scenes Review: A Box-Office Juggernaut With a Thin Script

Is Behind the Scenes good?

It depends who you ask — audiences have made it the fastest Nollywood film ever to cross a billion naira, but critics are considerably cooler. Scarlet Gomez anchors the film with real dynamism as Aderonke, the entrepreneur whose generosity is being quietly exploited by the people around her, and Tobi Bakre gets some of the best moments as her brother. But reviewers have flagged a plot twist that arrives without much disguise, dialogue that tends to spell out its themes rather than trust the audience, and a visual style that favors glossy, sitcom-bright interiors over anything resembling lived-in realism. It’s a film built to be relatable first and searching second, and that trade-off shows.

What is Behind the Scenes about?

It follows a wealthy real estate entrepreneur who realizes the family and friends she’s been quietly bankrolling may not have her best interests at heart. Aderonke has spent years being the person everyone turns to for money, favors, and rescue — and the film tracks what happens when she starts paying closer attention to who actually shows up for her in return. It’s built around a very recognizable Nigerian dynamic: the family member who becomes an unpaid safety net for everyone else, and what it costs them emotionally to keep playing that role.

Should you watch Behind the Scenes?

If you want a big, emotionally direct family drama with movie-star wattage, yes — just temper your expectations for subtlety. The film clearly resonated with Nigerian audiences who saw their own family dynamics reflected back at them, and there’s real pleasure in watching a strong ensemble cast — including Funke Akindele herself, Iyabo Ojo, and Ibrahim Chatta — work through the material. But if you’re looking for the kind of sharp, understated filmmaking that’s been winning Nollywood international festival attention lately, this isn’t that; the didactic streak and product-placement interruptions will test the patience of more critical viewers.

How does it compare to Funke Akindele’s other hits?

It follows the commercial playbook of her previous box-office successes closely, for better and worse. Akindele has built a career on crowd-pleasing dramas that speak directly to shared Nigerian experiences, and Behind the Scenes continues that formula almost to a fault — it’s clearly effective at the box office, breaking her own records, but several critics argue it represents a creative plateau rather than a step forward. As a piece of pure audience-pleasing cinema, it delivers; as a sign of artistic growth, reviewers are asking for more.