Funke Akindele’s Finding Me would have been more effective as a drama series rather than a 2-hour 34-minute feature-length film. The movie is packed with intriguing yet underdeveloped subplots that could have been explored in greater depth if serialised.
Written by no fewer than five writers, including Akindele, Finding Me boasts a star-studded cast featuring Akindele herself, Joseph Benjamin, Efa Iwara, Omoni Oboli, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Ifeanyi Kalu, Omowunmi Dada, and Femi Adebayo, with special appearances by Dele Odule, Shaffy Bello, Tina Mba, and Sharon Ooja. The film ambitiously tackles themes of marital struggles, deceit, family conflicts, blackmail, and romance, yet struggles to give each element the attention it deserves.
The central story follows Tinuke Williams (Akindele), a dedicated wife and CEO of her father’s steel company. She is married to Kola (Benjamin), a chronic womaniser who constantly belittles her, especially about her weight. Beyond her troubled marriage, Atinuke also faces a corporate power struggle with her older brother, Dotun (Adebayo), who resents their father’s decision to entrust the company to her instead of him.
Meanwhile, Anthony (Iwara), a gym owner, falls victim to a scam orchestrated by his girlfriend, Ndidi (Dada). She tricks him into believing her mother (Mba) has breast cancer, prompting the kind-hearted Mugu to sacrifice everything including borrowing from his sister, Ibiere (Egbuson-Akande) only to later discover the deception through Ndidi’s younger brother, Ifeanyi (Emeka Nwagbaraocha).
Tinuke, eager to improve her physique and impress her unfaithful husband, meets Anthony at the gym through her best friend, Sarah (Oboli). The attraction is instant, but she initially resists, bound by her marriage.
Between Tinuke’s pursuit of self-worth, Kola’s blatant infidelity, Anthony’s heartbreak, Ndidi’s calculated revenge, and Dotun’s relentless bid for power, Finding Me attempts to weave multiple compelling storylines. However, the film often feels rushed, limiting the depth and emotional weight of these narratives. Dotun’s rivalry with Atinuke over control of the family business, for instance, lacks sufficient dramatization, making his motivations feel underexplored. Similarly, Tinuke’s role as a caring mother to her son, Denrele (played by Fiyinfoluwa Asenuga), is barely fleshed out, leaving an important aspect of her character underdeveloped.
Akindele infuses humour through the familiar gateman/driver comic relief, along with the nosy cook and housemaid, played by skit maker Cute Abiola and Stephanie Isuma (aka Calabar Chic). However, these characters feel somewhat forced into the narrative rather than seamlessly integrated.
Co-directed by Akindele and Isioma Osaje, Finding Me is an engaging watch but would have been more effective as a drama series, allowing its intricate characters and themes to develop more organically. The film typifies Akindele’s signature filmmaking style blending star power, modest production values, and multiple intersecting storylines. While this formula continues to find success, it also raises crucial questions about how Nollywood can refine its storytelling to compete more effectively on the global stage
Streaming on Prime Video
- Jimi D Baldheaded Guy