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Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Nollywood has a long-standing love affair with the "suffering orphan" trope. We’ve seen it from the days of Genevieve Nnaji down to the modern era. However, every few years, a film comes along that takes these familiar ingredients—the wicked stepmother, the hidden royal/wealthy bloodline, and the miraculous turnaround—and serves them with a flavor that feels remarkably fresh.
"MY TEARS" (2026), starring the sensational Obi Oluebube and the ever-reliable Kachi Nnochiri, is exactly that kind of film. It’s a sprawling emotional epic that leans heavily into the "Asaba-style" melodrama we love, while reaching for a level of technical polish that suggests Nollywood’s grassroots sector is finally catching up to its cinematic cousins in Lagos.
The Visual Language: Beyond the 'TV-Style' Aesthetic
One of the most immediate surprises in MY TEARS is the cinematography. For a story that spends a significant amount of time in the trenches of rural hardship and street hawking, the camera work is surprisingly sophisticated.
The Director of Photography (DoP) makes excellent use of natural light during the early village scenes. Instead of the flat, over-bright lighting often found in low-budget productions, we see a deliberate use of shadows that underscores the protagonist's bleak reality. The framing of Obi Oluebube during her hawking sequences—using wide shots that swallow her small frame against the bustling, indifferent city—visually communicates her insignificance in the eyes of society long before the dialogue does.
However, the film truly shifts gears once the setting moves to Richard’s (Kachi Nnochiri) mansion. Here, the "cinematic" quality takes over. The use of high-angle shots to establish the opulence of the home contrasts sharply with the low-angle, empowered shots of the grandfather, Juliana, who holds the secret to the family’s destiny. There are moments where the color grading feels a bit inconsistent—shifting from warm ambers to a cooler blue tint between scenes—but overall, the visual mood successfully mirrors the emotional arc from despair to hope.
Sound Design: A Mixed Bag of Melodies
In Nollywood, sound is often the Achilles' heel. In MY TEARS, the dialogue is crisp and the microphone quality is a step above the usual. You won't find the distracting hiss of wind or the sudden muffled tones that plague many direct-to-YouTube releases.
The score, however, is where the "melodrama" is turned up to eleven. The music cues are unmistakably Nigerian—heavy on the emotive piano and swelling strings during the tear-jerker moments. While some might find it a bit "on the nose," for the target audience, these cues are essential. They act as an emotional heartbeat for the film. My only critique is the balance; during a particularly heated argument between Richard and his wife Pamela (Queen Nkem Okoye), the background score nearly drowns out the nuance of their delivery. Silence is a tool, and I wish the director had used it more to let the actors' expressions breathe.
Costume and Production Design: Class Warfare in Fabric
The costume department deserves a standing ovation for the authenticity of social class representation.
The Protagonist: Her transformation isn't just about "better clothes." It’s a gradual shift from faded, sweat-stained wrappers to a maid’s uniform that—ironically—looks more dignified, and finally to the high-fashion Ankara and lace of a daughter of the house.
Pamela (The Antagonist): Her wardrobe is a character in itself. Queen Nkem Okoye is draped in "expensive" looking silks and loud jewelry that scream "New Money" and insecurity. Her costumes act as armor, distancing her from the "common" girl she sees in her house.
The Setting: Richard’s house feels lived-in but cold—a perfect metaphor for a home that has wealth but lacks the "fruit of the womb." The contrast between the dusty, earth-toned village setting and the sterile, marble-white interiors of the city mansion tells the story of Nigeria’s wealth gap without a single line of dialogue.
Narrative Structure: The Hook, The Drag, and The Payoff
The film opens with a powerful hook: a young girl’s struggle for survival against the backdrop of a secret that could change her life. The first act is tightly paced, establishing the stakes and the mystery of her paternity with efficient storytelling.
However, as with many Nollywood epics, the second act suffers from "pacing bloat." There are several subplots involving the house help and neighborhood gossip that, while funny, don't move the needle on the central conflict. At the 90-minute mark, the "maid-secretly-the-daughter" trope begins to feel stretched. We’ve seen Pamela humiliate the girl enough times; we get it.
The resolution, however, is where the film redeems its slower moments. The climax isn't just a shouting match; it’s a spiritual and emotional reckoning. The "miracle" of Pamela’s pregnancy after seven years of barrenness is a classic Nollywood trope, but here it serves a narrative purpose: it breaks her pride. The ending feels earned rather than rushed, providing a catharsis that will leave many viewers reaching for the tissue box.
Plot Logic and Societal Realism
Does the plot hold up to scrutiny? Mostly. The decision of the grandfather to send his granddaughter in as a maid is a "Nigerian Parent" classic—a test of character that borders on the extreme. While it might seem illogical to a Western viewer, within the context of Nigerian societal norms and traditional wisdom, it’s a believable (if harsh) pedagogical tool.
There are minor plot holes—specifically, how Richard didn't recognize his own daughter’s resemblance to his past love sooner—but Kachi Nnochiri’s performance sells the "distracted, guilt-ridden father" so well that you’re willing to look past it. The film avoids the "sudden wealth via ritual" trope, opting instead for a story about restitution and the consequences of past actions, which is a refreshing change of pace for 2026 cinema.
Performance Analysis: The Power of Three
Obi Oluebube (The Protagonist): She is the soul of this film. Her ability to convey suffering without looking defeated is a masterclass. When she code-switches between Pidgin (with her peers) and a more reserved English (with her "masters"), you see the layers of a girl trying to survive a system designed to crush her.
Kachi Nnochiri (Richard): Kachi brings a much-needed groundedness to the film. He plays Richard not as a villain, but as a man paralyzed by his past mistakes. His chemistry with Obi is poignant; you can feel the subconscious tether between them even before the big reveal.
Queen Nkem Okoye (Pamela): To play a villain we love to hate, you need charisma, and Queen has it in spades. She avoids the "cartoonishly evil" trap just enough to make her final redemption feel plausible. When she finally breaks down in the end, you see the pain of the seven-year struggle with infertility that fueled her bitterness.
Thematic Weight: Why This Matters to Us
At its core, MY TEARS is a commentary on identity and the "Osu" or outcast mentality that still lingers in various forms in our society. It asks: Does our value come from our bloodline or our bank account?
For the Nigerian audience, the theme of "reaping what you sow" is a powerful draw. For the diaspora, the film offers a nostalgic yet gritty look at the "home" they left behind—the complexities of family dynamics and the unshakeable belief in divine timing and justice. It’s a film that resonates because it reflects our collective aspiration: that no matter how low we start, our "tears" will eventually be wiped away by a destiny we didn't even know we had.
The Verdict: A Must-Watch?
MY TEARS is a triumph of emotional storytelling. While it leans on familiar tropes and could have benefited from a tighter edit in the middle, the powerhouse performances and the genuine heart at the center of the story make it a standout release this year. It’s a reminder that Nollywood’s greatest strength isn't its budget, but its ability to tell stories that mirror the resilience of the human spirit.
Who should watch this? * Fans of classic emotional Nollywood dramas.
Anyone who loves a good "zero-to-hero" story.
Families looking for a film with strong moral lessons and a hopeful ending.
My Thought: If you’re looking for a film that will make you shout at your TV, cry with the characters, and ultimately feel a sense of peace, MY TEARS is the one for you.
Ready to experience the journey?
Watch "MY TEARS" now on YouTube and join the conversation in the comments!
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