Entertainment

Oka!

Yearning for an exciting African adventure? “Oka!” isn’t it.

Based on a true story, Lavinia Currier’s drama follows a New Jersey ethnomusicologist, Larry Williams (Kris Marshall), to Central Africa to study the music of the Bayaka Pygmies. He’s been there before, but he returns to complete his project — even though his doctor, who tells him he has a serious liver ailment, urges him not to.

Once there, he discovers the village’s greedy mayor has joined with a sleazy businessman to exploit the area’s trees and animals. Mixing pleasure with business, Williams becomes involved with a flirtatious young native woman.

There’s enough material here for a compelling movie, but Currier (the director, co-writer and co-producer) doesn’t seize the moment. The script is leaden and the characters mere stereotypes. The only plus is handsome location lensing by Conrad W. Hall.