6 Hours To Christmas

6 Hours to Christmas is a captivating drama produced in 2010, featuring a stellar African ensemble cast. The picture stars Damilola Adegbite, Benny Ashun, Chris Attoh, and Asamani Boateng. The film was directed by Pascal Aka and is set in the beautiful city of Accra, Ghana.

The plot of 6 Hours to Christmas revolves around a single day (Christmas Eve) and confronts an ordinary man with extraordinary circumstances. The protagonist Reggie (Chris Attoh) finds himself facing a monumental challenge, which he must confront head-on in a mere six hours. A temptation so profound yet seemingly innocent that it skews his otherwise typical moral compass.

The film starts setting up the scenario with Reggie, a creative director at an advertising agency, who is seemingly living the dream. He has a great job, a fun workplace, and is happily engaged to his college sweetheart, Claire (Damilola Adegbite). He's well-loved by everyone in his life and has a wedding just around the corner.

Christmas comes along, and Reggie finds himself working late to meet an important deadline. He faces a myriad of frustrations and distractions throughout the day, eventually sending everyone off to continue the project on his own. However, the stage changes with the sudden and unexpected introduction of a surprise office Secret Santa gift.

Reggie's curiosity is piqued when he receives an anonymous gift with a note attached, inviting him to a hotel rendezvous. Caught between the binds of love, loyalty, and an electrifying attractive offer on the table, Reggie has to decide where this all fits in his life before the clock strikes midnight and Christmas arrives.

Meanwhile, Claire, blissfully unaware of Reggie's predicament, is entirely engrossed in the wedding preparations. The contrast between Reggie's moral dilemma and Claire's wedding frenzy creates an agonising suspense that keeps audiences on their toes.

As mammoth of a challenge as it may be for Reggie to disentangle this enigma, it sparks a journey of self-discovery, realization about love, relationships, and the true spirit of Christmas. As the story unfolds, Reggie must confront his desires, guilt, and the probable consequences of his actions. Will the engagement survive? Will Reggie sketch his path towards what's right, or will he falter and succumb to the temptation?

The characters in the film are very well-sketched. Chris Attoh makes a genuine connection with viewers, exuding a charm that captivates. Damilola Adegbite balances her role as a naive girlfriend and a stressed bride-to-be perfectly and skillfully enhances the tension in her scenes. Supporting cast, played by Benny Ashun and Asamani Boateng, also deliver solid performances, adding depth to the plot.

One of the most unique aspects of 6 Hours to Christmas is how it places the story in a cultural milieu that hasn't been overly explored in mainstream rom-com—Ghana. From the Accra workplaces to the engagement ceremony's African traditions, the film provides a fresh, culturally rich backdrop to the rom-com genre.

The director, Pascal Aka, beautifully balances the components of romance, intrigue, drama, and humor in 6 Hours to Christmas. He seamlessly shifts from lighthearted banter to moments of intense self-reflection, keeping the audience invested in the narrative throughout. The pace is well-executed – not too hurried, as befits the genre, but brisk enough to keep the movie engaging, culminating into an unexpected climax.

Changing the traditional narrative of Christmas films, 6 Hours to Christmas brings a unique African twist to the table, laced with moral choices, familial expectations, love, and temptation. If you are a fan of romantic comedies that offer a little something more, or someone looking to explore African cinema, 6 Hours to Christmas is a must-watch.