Set in the 90s, this film follows a couple (Shirleen Wangari and Nyakundi Isaboke) who end up in police custody after a heist gone wrong (or so it seems). Directed by Victor Gatonye with story contributions from Victor Gatonye, Nyakundi Isaboke, Mufasa Kibet, Daudi Muchiri, and Mwixx Mutinda, the film uses non-linear storytelling, with timelines switching between past and present to explain how the couple ended up in their present situation while they’re also trying to solve their own relationship issues.
What makes this structure work is how it mirrors the couple’s own journey, just as they’re piecing together what went wrong in their heist, we’re piecing together what went wrong in their relationship. The interrogation room becomes an unlikely therapy session, with the confined setting creating the pressure cooker environment needed for real honesty to emerge.
As the title suggests, the couple is forced to lay their “cards on the table” and confront the realities of their relationship, or what it was. The film cleverly uses the heist as a framework to explore how well we really know the people we’re closest to. Throughout the sequence of events, we find ourselves curious about these people’s dynamic and rooting for them by the end.
The film uses comedic elements to bring everything to life, from the flirting with the inspector (Mufasa the Poet) to the flashbacks from different POVs, to Duncan Murunyu and his actions that speak louder than words (ha!). This tonal balance, along with the mixing of crime thriller, romantic drama, and comedy, could have easily felt disjointed. Still, the cast’s chemistry and the script’s sharp dialogue keep it grounded. The dual perspectives highlight how two people can experience the same relationship in completely different ways.
One aspect that doesn’t quite land is the sound mixing, which becomes confusing at times. Whether that’s the director’s stylistic choice or a technical oversight is unclear, but it occasionally distracts from otherwise engaging scenes. The crime thriller elements also feel underdeveloped as the heist itself takes a backseat to the relationship drama, which works thematically but leaves you wanting more tension from the actual crime plot. The story also felt like it was rushing to a conclusion at the end, though this could be argued as: we solved our main characters’ conflict, therefore we need to move on. A bit more breathing room in the final act would have given the emotional payoff more weight.
That aside, Cards on the Table demonstrates a clear understanding of genre mechanics and narrative structure. The ensemble cast delivers, the script knows when to pivot between tones, and Gatonye shows confident control over pacing and performance.
With this cold, rainy weather we’ve been having, there’s no better time to stay in and let a film like this do its thing. ‘Tis the season for binging, and I’m adding one more to your list. Stream it on Phil-It TV, Rafu, and Madfun.
