Now Showing: My Sister

 

My Sister

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Director: Mati Diop

Writer: Rosie JoLove

Based on the novel "My Sister, the Serial Killer" by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Producer: HG Hansen

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Tati Gabrielle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aldis Hodge, Abraham Attah, Ray Fisher, Tiffany Boone, Nyambi Nyambi

Plot: We hear Femi (Abraham Attah) plead for their life till the sounds of stabbing are heard. We see our view obstructed as a young woman named Ayoola (Tati Gabrielle) meticulously stabs three more times Femi who's motionless in the bathroom. Ayoola takes a breather. Blood soaked across her white, sunflower themed sundress, she walks up to a phone calling someone.

In Lagos, Nigeria, a Nigerian woman named Korede (Cynthia Erivo) lives with her mother and younger sister, Ayoola, who has just killed her boyfriend Femi. This is the third time Ayoola has killed a boyfriend of hers and Korede has helped her. Ayoola doesn't help and looks at Korede as if she expecting a scolding. Korede is horrified whenever her sister kills someone, but feels obliged to protect her younger sister. Korede goes to Femi's home, cleans up the blood, and take the body in the trunk of Korede’s car to the place over the bridge. Korede tries for a moment of peace but Ayoola struggles to remember Femi’s last name which makes Korede sighs "Jesus Fucking Christ". As Korede gets back in the car, Ayoola says it’s not her fault.

On their one-month anniversary, Femi wrote her a poem and she was “moved by the worship of her merits”. Later, she stabbed him to death, claiming he was abusive and she just trying to warn him off. However, Korede notices a knife wound on Femi's back. She stabbed him three times even though the first time was fatal. Korede knew that Femi, though tall and muscular, was a generally sweet and kind man who enjoyed writing poetry.

The murdered man’s name was Femi. Korede writes his name in her notebook. Ayoola has showered and now she “murder free". Meanwhile, Korede burns her sister’s bloody dress.

In her notebook, Korede notes the action in steps: Gather supplies, clean up the blood, turn the body into a mummy, move the body, and bleach. Korede thinks logically and pragmatically: Femi was a meticulous man so taking all of his sheets would not be smart. His family may notice the irregularity. Ayoola waited impatiently while Korede soaks up the blood. They roll Femi onto sheets. Avoiding the stairs in case someone sees them, they use the elevator.

Korede works as a nurse at a hospital in Lagos. She is generally more disciplined and hard-working than her fellow nurses. She wakes up another nurse Yinka (Tiffany Boone), who keeps falling asleep, and reminds the cleaner Mohammed (Nyambi Nyambi) to clean the windows properly with vinegar. She bumps into Dr. Tade Otumu (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who ignores Korede's clumsy flirting.

Korede often sits and confides in a patient, Muhtar Yautai (Aldis Hodge), who has been in a coma for five months. It appears highly likely that he will never awaken. Korede likes to talk to Muhtar often, even though he likely cannot hear her. She talks about her life. She tells Muhtar that she has developed romantic feelings for Tade, the male doctor's supervisor at the hospital.

While at home, the AC at home is broken. Korede cannot stop thinking of Femi. She looks through pictures on Ayoola's phone and finds a picture of Femi smiling warmly. Ayoola is untroubled by what she has done. Korede thinks about Femi, wondering whether she could have prevented his death. She surreptitiously looks at his photo in Ayoola’s phone.

Suddenly, Korede sees notifications of numerous people have posted “#FemiDurandIsMissing” on Instagram. Ayoola has posted their photo, claiming, it makes her look heartless if she says nothing. Femi’s mother calls her. They all cry. Ayoola behaves like she's the victim. Meanwhile, Korede and Ayoola's mother's chief concern is that her daughters find husbands as soon as possible. Their mother married in rich & always treated Ayoola as the favorite due to her stunning good looks.

Stuck in traffic, Korede attracts the attention of a LASTMA (Lagos State Traffic Management) officer. he stopped her for not wearing a seatbelt. Korede realizes that the police officer is corrupt looking for a bribe. Usually, she just tells corrupt cops to go away. However, she does not want to risk attracting police attention after Femi's death, so she pays the bribe.

At the reception desk in the hospital, Yinka deals with a nervous, aggressive man by deliberately irritating him further. He's late for his appointment. She tries to get him to do an extra blood sugar test to jack up the price but the man refuses. Korede watches it all with resignation and ignores Ayoola’s calls.

One day, Korede comes home from work to find Ayoola dancing to music while holding her knife to kill Femi. It's a knife that belonged to Korede and Ayoola's now-deceased father. Korede asks Ayoola to give her the knife, but Ayoola refuses. The blade was their father's most prized possession, which is funny considering their father would beat Ayoola mericoulously for touching it. Korede fantasized about destroying the knife.

They live in a big house with only one house girl; they fired everyone after father died. Mother asks Korede to teach Ayoola to cook, although Ayoola obviously isn't interested. Korede gets her to chop the spinach, which Ayoola does like a child would. Ayoola begins to post a happy video of herself w/“#FemiDurandIsMissing on social media because she's bored. Korede stops her, calling her a stupid little girl. Ayoola laughs loving to upset her mature sister.

At work, Korede talks to the unconscious patient Muhtar. She says that Femi is the third man Ayoola has killed, making Ayoola a serial killer. Tade enters with his file and prepares Korede for the eventuality of Muhtar’s death. He informs her they may promote her to head nurse.

Later, Korede takes food she has prepared to Tade on their lunch break, which he appreciates. Tade says that the hospital director will likely promote Korede to head nurse from what he has heard. Korede tries not to show her excitement at the idea. Korede then watches Tade interact with a child patient. Tade is very kind and gentle with the patient, representing Tade's consistently kind nature.

Ayoola arrives at the hospital unannounced to visit Korede. When Ayoola comes, Korede talks to Yinka and Bunmi, two nurses who are not as disciplined or hard-working as Korede. Yinka and Bunmi are shocked by Ayoola's beauty, especially since Korede is relatively straightforward in appearance. Korede notes that Ayoola's physical beauty has always far surpassed Korede's. Tade soon enters the room and sees Ayoola. He appears to be struck by her beauty, eagerly introducing himself.

Korede remembers a memory of students bullying Korede for her looks, In school, the boys drew Korede with lips that could belong to a gorilla and eyes that seemed to push every other feature out of the way.

At home, Korede stares at a painting that depicts her family's house. One of her father's few possessions that she didn't sell after his death. Looking at the painting, Korede spent much time imagining alternate lives free from her father's tyrannical abuse.

During dinner, their mother chastises Korede for not welcoming her sister to her workplace. Mother says Ayoola met a handsome doctor and Korede reacts badly, spilling food on the table and staining the tablecloth.

The next day at work, Tade inquires about Korede’s sister, wondering why she never mentioned her. He would like to ask her out on a date, but she tells him Ayoola is taking a break from dating.

Throughtout the day, Yinka repeatedly disbelieves Korede and Ayoola are really sisters. Korede walks in on Mohammed flirting with a nurse and soon learns Ayoola has come to the hospital again. She's in Tade’s office, flirting. Korede coldly reminds Ayoola she's too busy to take her to lunch, so Tade offers to take Ayoola out instead.

That evening, Korede walks in to see Ayoola's modeling for her pown clothing line. Korede, without admitting that she likes Tade tells Ayoola to cut off all communication with Tade. Ayoola shouldn't be dating so soon after Femi's death. Ayoola says that all men, including Tade, are shallow and only really care about is a pretty face. After Ayoola leaves, Korede cannot resist tidying up Ayoola’s messy room.

The next day, Korede experiments with wearing makeup to make herself more attractive. Mohammad and Yinka sneer at her. Tade says he prefers Korede without it. Yinka mocks her by saying Tade and Ayoola are twins now.

Later in the week, Ayoola texts him that she prefers roses; at noon, he sends roses. Mother is smitten. Late at night, Korede plucks the petals from Tade’s roses, leaving them there. Her mother, in shock, believes the house girl has done it. As Korede debates whether to admit it, Ayoola covers for her saying she had a disagreement with Tade, but later they made up. Their mother doesn't grow angry with Ayoola.

Their father died 10 years ago, in the middle of brutalizing the girls; he “ suffered from a major heart attackl while Korede watched closely asAyoolagot mom. Now his sister/their aunt Taiwo has come from Dubai to help arrange a commemorative service. She gives them advice on how to catch a good husband.

Return to the present, Korede, and Ayoola's mother brags to her friends that Ayoola is dating a doctor. Their mother also tells her friends that she misses her husband and is a good man. She never tells her friends that her husband was abusive to protect her social reputation. Korede leaves in disgust Ayoola enjoys the discomfort with their mother none the wiser.

Meanwhile, public interest in Femi's disappearance begins to fade. Korede confronts Ayoola about the inconsistencies in Ayoola's story. Korede mentions the presence of a stab wound in Femi's back, but Ayoola simply responds childishly evasive.

Korede continues to talk to the unconscious patient Muhtar about the first two men Ayoola has killed, wanting to believe her. But Femi was different. Tade asks Korede to talk to Ayoola as Ayoola hasn't returned his calls in two weeks. Korede reluctantly agrees.

A few weeks after Femi's disappearance, a cleaner finds a bloody napkin in Femi's home. People become suspicious that Femi may have been murdered. Korede briefly contemplates telling her mother the truth. Still, she knows that her mother would never believe that Ayoola did anything wrong, let alone kill someone. Also, she'd just blame Korede since she's the older sister anyway.

Soon, Ayoola wakes Korede to show her a Snapchat post by Femi’s sister: a neighbor saw two women, Ayoola and someone else, exiting his apartment that night. Ayoola wants to say that Korede was seeing Femi behind her back anything that doesn't put her in a bad light. Korede thinks of a lie they can tell the police with Korede shooting down Ayoola's insane ideas.

The police soon arrive at the house to question Ayoola. Ayoola tells the police that she said to Femi that she wanted to end her relationship with him on the night in question. She says that Femi grew angry, so Korede came to pick her up and give her a ride home. Korede tells the police that Ayoola's telling the truth. The police seem to believe Ayoola, but they temporarily confiscate Ayoola's car to examine it. Ayoola was nervous as she transported Femi's body in the car's trunk, but she did clean it thoroughly afterward.

The following week, At their father’s commemoration, both sisters wear purple, a color he hated. Korede's mother holds a customary celebration of his life. Korede's mother feigns deep love and grief for her deceased husband, which makes Korede unsettled by her mother's lies. After Tade, who invited himself, leaves, all of the men vie for Ayoola's attention.

A few days later, a middle-aged businessman named Gboyega (Ray Fisher), who funds Ayoola’s fashion business, arrives at the house to take Ayoola on a date. It soon becomes evident to Korede that Tade doesn't know about Gboyega. Korede remembers a time when her father briefly dated another woman. Korede's mother was furious but was helpless to stop it. Korede looks up Gboyega on social media and finds that he is wealthy, married, and has children. She also checks the Instagram profile of Gboyega’s wife. Today is their anniversary.

One day at work, Korede sees that Tade looks distraught. Ayoola hasn't responded to his calls. He has deduced that she is dating someone else. Tade blames Korede for Ayoola's fickleness; he says Korede isn't sufficiently supportive of her sister. Korede begins to question Tade’s character. Korede is furious at these words, but she doesn't respond. Instead, she goes to the comatose Muhtar and talks to him about the situation while doing his physiotherapy. She snaps again at Mohammed for using dirty water to mop.

Ayoola goes on a brief trip with Gboyega. When she returns, Ayoola tells Korede that Gboyega died of food poisoning on the trip. Tade arrives, and he and Ayoola kiss passionately. Korede searches the web for information on Gboyega’s death; reports indicate he died from a drug overdose. Korede wonders if his death could be coincidental, or if Ayoola doesn't always use her knife. Korede adds Gboyega’s name to her notebook. Ayoola shows no sadness walking away and asking for Chinese takeout.

It is Ayoola’s birthday. Mother gives her a dining set, predicting Tade will soon propose. Many of Ayoola’s “minions” come to the party. Tade begins apologizing to Korede when Ayoola appears and whisks him away. Korede leaves, pondering whether she can see a therapist without disclosing Ayoola’s murders. For the first time, she admits to herself that she loves Tade.

One day, the most senior doctor at the hospital calls Korede into his office and tells her that she has been promoted to head nurse. Korede is honored and excited by this promotion. Later in the day, Korede is shocked to learn that Muhtar has awoken from his coma.

Flashback to the first time Ayoola killed someone. The man she killed was her boyfriend. Korede was shocked and terrified, but she secretly helped Ayoola dispose of the body.

Soon after Muhtar awakes, he requests to see Korede. Korede goes to his room, and Muhtar says he could hear much of what Korede told him while in the coma. Because of this, he knows Korede's sister murdered multiple men. Korede is mistaken and that his memory must be contaminated by his dreams while in his coma.

That night, Korede has a dream about Femi. In the dream, Femi says that Korede is foolish if Ayoola kills him in self-defense.

Later that week, when Korede is at work, Tade calls her into his office. Trade shows her an engagement ring and says he plans to marry Ayoola. Korede informs Tade that Ayoola does not love him. Korede also says that Ayoola has a history of physically harming men. Tade does not believe anything that Korede is saying.

He accuses her of being jealous and lonely. Korede asks Tade to state honestly what he likes about Ayoola. Tade's responses are pretty vague. Korede realizes that Ayoola is correct when she says that Tade is shallow and wants to be with Ayoola because of her looks.

Korede visits Muhtar's hospital room. Muhtar thanked her for giving him so much personal attention when he was in a coma. Muhtar says he cares about Korede and does not want her to be in trouble. Muhtar says he will not tell anyone about Ayoola's crimes because Korede is technically an accomplice in covering them up.

Flashback to when Korede's father was alive. Korede overheard her father meeting with a wealthy and powerful man. The man wished to make some type of deal involving Ayoola.

Muhtar's adult son enters Muhtar's hospital room with a woman, the son's fiancée, which shocks Muhtar. His son has recently been engaged to another woman, and Muhtar had already paid for the wedding. Due to this fickleness and disrespect, Muhtar refuses to approve of his son's new engagement.

Flashback to when Korede's father was still alive. Ayoola became interested in dating and brought a boy to the house to meet her parents. After the visit, her father beat her with a cane and forbade her from dating. When Korede tried to protect Ayoola, he beat Korede as well.

While Korede is at work, Muhtar's wife visits him one day. She is furious and demands that Muhtar endorse their son's new engagement. Muhtar doesn't budge on the issue. Korede tells the wife to leave as she is harassing a patient. That night, Korede dreams that Tade is dead and blames Korede for his death.

The next day, Korede sneaks into Tade's study and steals the precious gemstone from the engagement ring that Tade bought.

To Korede's dismay, an innocent janitor named Mohammed is blamed and fired for the theft. However, Tade is suspicious that Korede is the real thief.

A few days later, Korede receives a panicked call from Tade. Korede goes to his home. There she finds Tade and Ayoola. Ayoola has been stabbed with her knife, but she is still alive.

Tade says that Ayoola accidentally tried to stab him and hurt her in the struggle. Ayoola says that Tade attacked her; Tade emphatically denies this.

Korede brings Ayoola to the hospital. Korede tells Tade that if he tells anyone that Ayoola attacked him, Korede will claim that Tade was the aggressor.

When Korede's mother arrives at the hospital, Korede tells her she is unsure who stabbed Ayoola.

Police arrive at the hospital to question Ayoola. Ayoola says that Tade proposed to her, and when she said no, he attacked her.

Korede goes to visit Muhtar in his room. He says that he is being discharged from the hospital tomorrow. He tells Korede that she should tell the truth about Ayoola. He then says that he and his wife have fallen out of love; Muhtar has told his wife that he wants a divorce.

Korede speaks to Ayoola privately in her hospital room. Ayoola says that due partly to lies that Ayoola told Tade about Korede, Tade began to believe that Korede killed Femi. Ayoola says she tried to kill Korede to not publicly accuse Korede of killing Femi.

Flashback to when Ayoola was 14 years old. Their father planned to sell Ayoola into an arranged marriage with a powerful and wealthy man. Ayoola did not want to do it, and she worried their father would kill them if she did not. Korede suggested to Ayoola that they should kill their father.

When the police interview Korede, she believes that Tade is the aggressor and attacks Ayoola. The police have arrested Tade and revoked his medical license. He will spend several months in jail for assault. Korede has chosen a side: “She will always have me and I will always have her; no one else matters” Muhtar leaves the hospital and Korede misses him. She calls for Mohammed to change the sheets, only to realize that he no longer works there either.

Months later

After a while, Korede debates to whether begin to forget all about Muhtar and Tade right down to their voices. A door bell rings as there is a male visitor. Korede burns the paper with Muhtar’s number. She goes downstairs to meet Muhtar who has brought roses. Welcoming him inside, Muhtar smiles innocently. Korede hesitantly smiles back. A door slowly opens behind him revealing Ayoola welding her fathers knife.