"30 Days in Atlanta" is a frustrating film to watch. While it's not nearly as funny as it's billed to be, it is very pleasant and you like the two leads...and you want them to do well in America. However, the film ends with one off the worst endings I've seen in some time. It's as if they ran out of money and film and just tied everything together in one quick take--telling the audience that magic occurred and everything worked out fine. Well, for me it didn't...the ending really made it a film I would be very hesitant to recommend.
The film begins with a country cousin, Akpos, arriving in the big city of Lagos to spend time with his cousin. They decide to go to a party and there they win an all expense trip to Atlanta (why Atlanta?!). The two set off to see America and have a good time-- the nice cousin, Richard, and his country bumpkin, Akpos. Soon the pair have some adventures and meet some beautiful ladies--and then tragedy strikes for both men and it appears they'll be heading back to Nigeria with broken hearts. Then, as I mentioned above, complicated problems just vanished and a tacked on happy ending left me scratching my head and wondering how they could ever end a film so abruptly and superficially. It's really a shame, as the film was otherwise rather likable.
There was one other odd problem in the film. I assume it was made for Nigerians because whenever Akpos talks, he speaks an unintelligible form of pidgen--such that no American could possibly understand him. Yet, inexplicably, every American but one instantly recognizes what he's saying!! This does not ruin the film but unless Akpos talks and subtitles mysteriously appear to explain what he said, I cannot see how this happened again and again!
Overall, the film has a few rough patches but perhaps there will be enough good to make it worth your time.
