Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Òlòturé’ On Netflix, A Nigerian Crime Drama Where A Journalist Goes Undercover As A Sex Worker

Netflix has been adding a new international title (or more) on what seems like a weekly basis as of late. One of the newest additions to the platform, Òlòturé, may be one of their most daring yet. The heavy Nigerian drama tells the story of the titular Òlòturé, a naive young journalist who believes she can expose politicians and other individuals with dirty hands by going undercover as a sex worker. 

OLOTURE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Lagos, Nigeria. Young women trapped in a continuous, often deadly cycle do their best to make ends meet by working the streets. Among them is Òlòturé (Sharon Ooja), a journalist working undercover to expose the inner workings of the world of human trafficking and just how high up the industry’s corruption goes. She is supported by her boss, Emeka (Blossom Chukwujekwu), but has to keep a low profile to avoid drawing much attention to herself. She’s perhaps a little too brave for her own good, moving through these scenes with the belief that she’ll emerge unscathed with more than a few stories to tell. Things quickly become more real than she ever could have imagined, and she pays the price (and then some).

Òlòturé is a devastating portrait of sex trafficking and an inescapable system so many girls and women are forced into, where their only aspirations might involve escape or becoming a madam someday, so that they have some semblance of power. This is the painful reality of millions in Nigeria, and Òlòturé does not shy away from even the ugliest truths about this life – and the fact that in most cases, there is no happy ending.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: There aren’t very many mainstream films that dive into this side of sex trafficking, especially in a place like Nigeria. Though action flicks like Taken may attempt to depict the dark side of sex work, it doesn’t come anywhere near conveying this life in the gritty, unflinching way Òlòturé does.

Performance Worth Watching: The ensemble here is quite strong, but Omoni Oboli is a standout as Alero, a tough madam who gets Òlòturé involved in the big leagues. She handily holds her own against intimidating pimps, and she’s able to seamlessly move from cruel to sympathetic. She’s lived the life of all the girls she now oversees, and while she can be hard on them, there’s also a softness to her that makes her memorable.

Memorable Dialogue: When the going gets tough, Òlòturé isn’t afraid to speak her truth – even to her boss Emeka. Things get bigger and more personal than either of them imagined, but Òlòturé doesn’t want to back down: “This is no longer your story,” she tells him. “It is now my story. And I will get to the end of it, with or without you.”

Sex and Skin: The entire premise of Òlòturé revolves around human trafficking and prostitution, so there is a lot of sex and skin – largely in violent contexts. For those who have a hard time watching sexual violence or violence against women, Òlòturé may be a tough watch.

Our Take: When a film explores themes as heavy as those examined in Òlòturé, it is a feat to create something that is watchable. The subject matter is incredibly delicate, and depictions of something as ugly as rape or assault on-screen are often ill-advised or poorly executed. Òlòturé makes very clear from its first frame what kind of film it is going to be, and what kind of things it is going to show us. The film often employs handheld and long takes to immerse us in each scene; many sequences feel so realistic it could be documentary or personal filmmaking. Sometimes this is effective, and sometimes it isn’t, but overall, it feels like the right move for a film like this.

The film’s shakier points are generally with Emeka, the office, and his dealings; the performances feel a bit stilted, and the action there pales in comparison to what is happening to the women in the outside world. The rest of the performers – particularly the aforementioned Ooja and Oboli – all bring a lived-in quality to their roles, unafraid to get messy and emotional and raw. They are what make Òlòturé work; without them, there is no weight to any of the plot points, no intrigue in any of the scenes, no emotional impact. Most of the men in the movie hustle to catch up with the women, and few of them ever perform on the same level. Luckily, the women are the heart of the film, so this weak spot isn’t especially glaring. They elevate even the more mundane sequences.

Many people will not be able to stomach Òlòturé. It is ugly and traumatic and unflinching, a reminder of how in many places across the world, women are simply seen as objects to use and dispose of. The women in Òlòturé lose their autonomy before they even have the chance to fight for it, and I admittedly had to turn away during some of the more graphic scenes. The intention here is to expose the truth about the plight of all these women and girls, and the involvement of the rich and powerful in this country and beyond. While the scale of human trafficking in the world is often discussed, we are rarely forced to look at it head on. Òlòturé, for better or for worse, remedies that.

Our Call: STREAM IT… But know it isn’t for the faint of heart. Òlòturé is marked with violence against women that takes many forms – rape, strangulation, beatings, assault – but it is incredibly well-performed and relevant.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Òlòturé on Netflix