Characters caught in unusual circumstances make for an intriguing exploration of their journey and how they end up going through it. It is always refreshing to see films that decide to tell things differently, and even if they don’t manage to hit the bullseye, it still remains an important story. Passport is a wildly entertaining film that is rich in its milieu and the way it expands its themes through the interplay of different characters while using a slapstick style of comedy. The passion of the makers is evident in the way it is made, the way it is shot, and the manner in which the story unfolds. Making films is as much about understanding rhythms in a better way than it is about just working up to tell a story. The story will only manage to pump the heart when it gets its rhythms right. That way, it is slightly musical how films affect us and take us along on a journey. The amalgamation of the visuals with the chosen style of telling the story, as well as the editing employed to knit the shots together, end up creating that symphony that makes us feel something. Passport manages to do just that. It is well-written; the jokes manage to land where they are intended to, and it feels like a beautiful tune that has dropped silently on Netflix amidst all the noise.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The ‘Passport’ Film?
The film begins with a party underway at a club, where we meet our protagonist, Oscar, who has hosted the party to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday. It turns out that he is short on money, and his girlfriend has to pay the bill to avoid embarrassment. Later that night, as he proposes to her, she reacts begrudgingly to the ring he got for her, and eventually, they break up. Oscar gets a call from his sister and gets to know that their mother has fallen ill and wants to see him. Now, Oscar must get back to London in time to see his ailing mother.
Simultaneously, we meet Kopiko, who wants to be the chair lady of her locality and defeat the current leader, who is more of a goon and has left the people in a state of poverty. After a laugh riot at a conference, Kopiko gets to know that her mother is down with a heavy fever and runs to the hospital along with her sister, only to find that they will have to pay 50,000 bucks for the treatment. Her sister, Mighty, becomes restless and wants money. This is where the stories of Oscar and Kopiko converge. As Oscar is on his way to catch the flight back to London, he gets outsmarted by Mighty and her friend, who steals his bag that has his passport and runs away. Oscar is left with his uncle, who is a local there, and together, the two navigate their way to find the passport.
The Characters And Themes
Passport uses comedy to take the story ahead, intermingling it with the ideas that the makers want to put out through the scenes. It is interesting how the stories of Oscar and Kopiko intersect at the common point of an ailing mother yet their different backgrounds change the way they deal with situations. Oscar comes from an affluent background and lives a comfortable life in London. Kopiko, on the other hand, lives on the margins, barely making ends meet. Her sister cannot go to school because of the state of affairs in their locality and because of the goon who is the chairman. The hospital where she takes her mother has no supplies, and she wants to change all of that. Her character is designed as someone who is fearless and over-the-top in her behavior. Through their interaction, then, Oscar’s shameful prejudices start to show which are treated in a light-hearted way. He starts to look at Kopiko as a low-life and judges her on the kind of clothes she wears and the life she leads. While all of these instances are coupled with comedy, it boils up to the brim in a poignant scene later in the film when Oscar asks her why she is so angry all the time. Someone who has led the life that she has led, with a dearth of resources and suffering awaiting at every corner, it’s only natural that she is angry with the state of affairs.
The writer of the film, Abosi Ogba, and director Dimeji Ajibola want to bring out the nuances of the lives people lead in Nigeria. By designing characters like the Professor and the Terminator and filling them up with hilarious traits, the film explores some serious things using comic relief. The behavior of Oscar comes off as entitled with the way he goes about speaking to Kopiko and her sister, and Passport becomes an exploration of his journey from being judgmental to gaining some sort of empathy for the characters and the world where they come from. Towards the end of Passport, what helps the two understand each other is the common thread of their mothers after which they team up to stand against the goon Terminator.
‘Passport’ Ending Explained: What Happened To Koppiko & Oscar?
The entire film is about Oscar’s search for his passport so that he can get to London and see his mother. In the third act, Oscar starts to understand Kopiko better and helps her mother be admitted to the hospital by paying the bills. As he also mentions his mother, Kopiko joins him to get his passport back from the Terminator, who is holding it. As they reach his den, a hassle ensues in which Kopiko is shot in the stomach. Oscar gets his passport back, but he chooses to stay and miss his flight. Later, we come to know that Kopiko survives the hit. She is grateful to Oscar for everything. Oscar tells her that his mother is doing fine, too, and that he stayed to help her after all that she did for him in the course of the day. Then, Oscar proposes a plan to take her on a vacation, and the two share jokes about it. Meanwhile, the professor reveals that the union has decided to back Kopiko for the elections and that she will be the new chair lady. All of them share a moment of happiness as Kopiko can finally do what she wants and help her people get out of poverty.
Final Word
Passport is a refreshing film that engages the world with its humor and characters caught in extraordinary situations. It has its dull moments and places where the logic seems to have gone off, but it remains a film that is honest about its story and its filmmaking. It maintains the aura it creates in the initial minutes and carries it throughout the journey. In the end, the film remains unusually interesting, showcasing impeccable performances from the entire cast who utilize their comic timing to deliver the jokes flawlessly. It deserves greater recognition solely for these aspects and should be embraced for its refreshing approach to storytelling.
Passport is a 2022 comedy drama film directed by Dimeji Ajibola.
