Abstract

This research explores the stylistic and rhetorical strategies used in the Nollywood film, Vanity (2022) to resolve marital conflicts within a Nigerian socio-cultural context. The film presents a vivid portrayal of emotional and economic tensions in marriage, particularly the impact of materialism, pride, and familial interference on conjugal stability. Using stylistic theory and Halliday’s functional grammar as analytical frameworks, the study identifies and examines significant utterances, especially those embedded with persuasive, emotive, and culturally symbolic rhetoric. Through scene-based, time-stamped analysis, the study unveils how characters like Kobi, Ify, and their extended families deploy rhetorical devices to express grievances, confront values, and ultimately foster reconciliation. The research contributes to the understanding of how Nollywood narratives linguistically mirror real-life marital crises and their resolution through dialogue, cultural reasoning, and communal values.