Clarissa review - Sophie Okonedo mesmeric as Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway decamps to Nigeria

Key Points:

• Nigerian filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri have presented their adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway at Cannes, setting the story partly in modern Lagos and partly in 1980s Abraka, Nigeria.
• The film explores themes of life choices, regret, and the consequences of marrying the wrong person, with a smooth narrative transition between past and present.
• Sophie Okonedo stars as Clarissa, a stylish middle-aged woman hosting a party that reunites her with old friends, including David Oyelowo’s Peter and Nikki Amuka-Bird’s Sally, while flashbacks reveal complex past relationships.
• A parallel storyline follows Septimus, a soldier suffering from PTSD, whose struggles and tragic fate indirectly impact Clarissa and her social circle, highlighting tensions related to Boko Haram and corruption.
• The Esiri brothers’ film offers a melancholic, atmospheric drama with strong performances and a compelling musical score, providing a fresh, culturally rich interpretation of Woolf’s classic novel.