Anchor Baby

A really clever story . Nothing wrong with this movie and no complaints . Though with a bigger budget and better production values the same cast and script could have made a modest blockbuster .

I didn't quite expect where the story was going, it was a nice surprise, but some of the acting just wasn't very good. Something to pass the time during lockdown.

A married Nigerian couple, Joyce and Paul Unanga, living illegally in the United States, has been ordered to leave the country by the U. S. immigration. They decide that they will leave, but only after Joyce, who is five months pregnant, delivers her baby in the United States to guarantee automatic U. S. citizenship for their child. Thus, ignoring the deportation order, the couple goes into hiding. When Paul is caught and deported, leaving Joyce to fend for herself, she struggles on her own to survive. Bureaucracy keeps getting in the way of Joyce achieving her goal and just as she is about to give up hope, she meets Susan, a married freelance writer who offers to help in the form of safe, free accommodation until the baby is born. With the help of her newfound friend, Joyce sets out to make the 'American Dream' come true for her unborn child.

Pregnant Joyce Unanga played by Omoni Oboli and her husband Paul Unaga played by Sam Sarpong are illegal immigrants in the United States. Their visas have expired and their time in the USA is up. They were offered voluntary deportation 3 months previously but refused to take it Joyce has 4 months until she gives birth and has agreed with her husband that they will lay under the radar hiding from immigration until the baby is born. This anchor baby will act as a device for the family to gain legal foothold into the United States;. Joyce isn't so keen on the idea but her husband Paul is desperate for their child to be born in the United States and have an American passport so that he/she can be afforded the same opportunities as American born kids.

After a raid at Paul's workplace, where Paul drops his phone after running from immigration officials immigration and are hot on their tails and one morning while Joyce is out on her daily walk they pounce and grab Paul. Joyce has no choice but to evacuate the apartment if she too doesn't want to be caught. She is left alone, homeless and pregnant looking for a place to stay when she comes across a Good Samaritan by the name Susan played by Teri Oliver in a doctor's office. Susan comes in to save the day and offers her her basement to live in until the baby is born. It sounds too good to be true. Is it?

This is a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed and I would definitely recommend. It was well shot and evenly paced. The drama, tension and suspense was good but could have been picked up a notch, nevertheless I loved the storyline. It was one that raised very real and important issues about illegal immigration and showed us the gritty reality of life as an illegal immigrant and the misfortune that can fall upon you when you have no rights. Anchor baby won the Best film Harlem Intl film festival, Award of Merit L.A Cinema festival of Hollywood. It made the Official selection Africa Intl film festival and official selection Fans of film festival and all with good reason. Grab ya copy

This movie is an amazing independent film. I watched it in UK Odeon cinemas when I was there on vacation in September. Acting was great and the story is amazing with a mind blowing twist at the end. This type of movie opens your eyes to whats going on in our society and the immigration system. The movie started off with showing the two main actors in the movie. One of them is Sam Sarpong. I've seen him in several films in the states but never in a role like this ever. He even had a different accent from his normal way of speaking. The person who stole the whole show is the lead actress Omoni Oboli. She is not a big named actor. I believe she is a Nigerian based actor in Nollywood. She did justice to the role and was very believable. Terry Oliver who played Susan Backley was also exceptional in her role. This is a movie you will have to watch twice to figure out how the writer/director Lonzo Nzekwe pulled off such a great story. I'm looking forward to seeing more work from this promising filmmaker. I' have to admit I'm not a big fan of indie movies, but I'm glad I gave it a chance and watched it. It's a recommended "must watch" for everyone.