"A Father's Love" and the Hands of Destiny
David's unwavering resolve in the face of adversity illuminates the powerful role of destiny in shaping our lives.
Written by: Sifa Adani Gowon
Directed by: Sebastian Ukwa
Starring: David Jones David, Yvonne Jedgede, Chibunna βFunnyboneβ Stanley, Uche Jombo, Beloved Osagie, Darasimi Nadi, and many more.
βEvery man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him.β β Henry Miller
David and Ladi are overwhelmed with their problems: three children, one suffering from sickle cell anemia, and mounting financial pressure. Their lives become even more complicated when a baby is abandoned in the back seat of David's taxi. Skepticism surrounds Davidβs innocence, and as the story unfolds, a terrible secret is revealed, shaking the very foundation of their family.
Directed by Sebastian Ukwa, A Fatherβs Love is a product of the First Features Project, an initiative by renowned Nollywood filmmakers Steve Gukas and Dotun Olakunri under the banners of Natives Filmworks and Michelangelo Productions. This program supports emerging Nigerian directors by providing mentorship, training, and funding for their debut films. Other notable films under this project include Cake, Kill Boro, It Blooms in June, and Love and Life. Like some of the other films on this list, A Fatherβs Love shows how good a filmmakerβs debut can get if theyβve got a good story to tell and the right hands guiding them.
The filmβs beautiful cinematography immediately captivates, enhancing the storytelling experience. The narrative unfolds naturally, which is its biggest positive aspect, a refreshing departure from the often rushed storytelling nowadays. Despite knowing the general direction of the plot from promotional summaries, the story takes its time to develop organically, creating an enjoyable viewing experience. One thing logically leads to another, and the audience is treated to an enjoyable ride.
A Fatherβs Love addresses a variety of themes; the most prominent ones being hope, familial love, contentment, destiny, and paternity fraud. The latter is handled with care, approaching the sensitive topic from a cautionary perspective rather than casting aspersion. Considering the noise generated by issues of paternity fraud in the media in recent times, the softer approach used herein helps limit judgment, instead reinforcing the viewer to have a more reflective conversation around the topic. This thoughtful approach encourages viewers to engage in meaningful conversations.
While a lot of the other themes get their time in the sun, destiny is the one I found most profound here.
When David first discovers the child in the car, he doesn't think much of it other than how much trouble heβd get in with the law for having a non-biological baby in his custody. Albeit a little at first, he also worries about his wife, who may think the baby is his, and that his story is a ploy to coyly bring him to join the rest of the family. He goes to the police, but as expected, they donβt help so the only option his goody-too-shoes mind can muster is to leave the baby in a literal church, which he couldnβt even go through with. It isnβt until David accepts his fate, and braces up to face his wife, that he finally sets upon the road to his destiny, which although starts rough with the paternity revelations, has a happy ending.
The script works. The story is simple and easy to watch unfold through the well-paced acts of its humanized characters. I like the dialogues for the most part, but the inconsistency with the use of Pidgin English is my biggest issue here. However, it is more a problem with how the directorβs vision was communicated and the actorsβ delivery than it is from the script from which they all read. In some scenes, it is forgivable, but in others, such as those featuring Big Sis (Uche Jombo), a radio presenter who should excel in the language, it is jarring.
That hitch aside, the small but talented cast delivers outstanding performances, grounding the film even in moments where brevity could have been beneficial. David Jones David and Yvonne Jegede, in particular, shine as they bring emotional depth to their respective characters of David and Ladi. Nothing melodramatic; just dramatic enough to evoke the right emotional sentiments in the viewer. Their charactersβ struggles and emotions are the right amount of subtle yet convincing enough thanks to the right body language, tone, and facial expressions. Both actors have great chemistry and did a commendable here.
One other issue here is the industry-wide one where scenes sometimes stay on for too long and the inclusion of some we couldβve done without in the final cut that makes it to the public. Case in point for the latter is the flashbacks weβre consistently being dragged back into throughout the scene where Ladi confesses her big secret to her husband, David. The flashbacks, especially with how they were infused, were a distraction. Thankfully, these distractions are never happening long enough to completely desensitize viewers from whatβs unfolding.
A Fatherβs Love is a compelling Nollywood drama that explores complex themes through a well-crafted narrative and strong performances. Despite its minor flaws, the film joins its mates under the First Feature Project banner to lend credence to the talent and potential of emerging new voices in Nollywood. Sebastian Ukwa and the rest of the creative team behind this film have done something worthwhile, a noteworthy addition to the industryβs growing repertoire of impactful stories.
A Fatherβs Love is streaming on Prime Video.