Is This Nollywood’s Most Heart-Wrenching Romance? Still, My Heart Beats Review!
By Chinedu Okeke, NollywoodTimes.com
January 30, 2026
A Heart That Refuses to Quit
Picture this: A bustling bedroom scene where business ideas clash with marital intimacy. "Babe, not tonight. I beg," pleads Amara, as her husband Joel pitches a game-changing saline production hike mid-foreplay. It's raw, relatable, and sets the tone for STILL, MY HEART BEATS, the latest 2026 Nollywood stunner from Ego Nwosu TV. But what happens when love, faith, and a pharma empire collide with unimaginable tragedy? Does the heart truly beat on? This film doesn't just ask; it rips your soul open, forcing you to confront if faith is a button you flip or a fire that endures the storm. Released January 22, 2026, on YouTube, starring Ego Nwosu, Majid Michel, and Yemi Cregx, it's a 2-hour-3-minute rollercoaster of hope amid despair. As a die-hard Nollywood fan in Lagos, I binged it twice; tears flowing both times. If you're craving emotional depth in Nigerian movies, this is your must-watch.
In the landscape of modern Nollywood, we often see a divide between the glossy "Glamour Girls" aesthetic and the deep-seated spiritual dramas of the past. However, every so often, a film arrives that bridges that gap with surgical precision. "Still, My Heart Beats" (2026) is exactly that—a masterclass in emotional resonance that explores the thin, pulsing line between devastating loss and divine restoration.
The Narrative Architecture: A Symphony of Two Halves
The screenplay for Still, My Heart Beats is structured with a distinct duality. The first act is a claustrophobic study of a marriage under pressure, while the second act—set two years later—is an expansive, albeit tentative, journey toward healing.
The film opens by establishing the "Golden Couple" dynamic between Amara (Ego Nwosu) and Joel (Majid Michel). Their chemistry is built on shared faith and professional ambition, making the sudden tragedy of Joel’s accident feel like a personal affront to the viewer. The pacing here is deliberate; the director allows the silence of the ICU to weigh on the audience, heightening the tension before the 41-minute mark when the irreversible diagnosis is delivered.
The transition across a two-year time jump is handled with sophisticated restraint. Rather than a "getting over it" montage, we find Amara in the middle of a collapsing business empire, illustrating that grief isn't just an emotional state—it’s a functional impairment that affects every facet of a widow's life.
Character Breakdown: The Anchors of the Soul
Amara (Ego Nwosu): The Portrait of Resilience
Ego Nwosu delivers what might be her career-defining performance. In the scene where she finally consents to donating Joel’s heart, her micro-expressions convey a harrowing mix of guilt and duty. She portrays a woman whose world has turned grey, and her gradual "colorization" as she interacts with Tobi is a masterclass in slow-burn acting.
Joel (Majid Michel): The Spiritual North Star
Though his physical screen time is cut short, Majid Michel’s presence haunts the film in the best way possible. He represents the "ideal" Nollywood husband—supportive, prayerful, and visionary. His dialogue about organ donation serves as the film’s Chekhov’s Gun, a narrative seed planted early that blooms into the film’s emotional climax.
Tobi (Yemi Cregx): The Man of Restoration
Yemi Cregx enters the film as an antagonist of sorts—an unprofessional, "cowardly" businessman who stands Amara up. This subversion of the leading man trope is brilliant. As he peels back his layers, revealing his own brush with death and his heart transplant, Cregx shifts from a source of irritation to a source of intrigue.
Thematic Depth: Wrestling with God in the Dark
The most daring aspect of Still, My Heart Beats is its willingness to tackle Theodicy—the "Problem of Evil." Amara’s journey isn't a straight line of faith. She explicitly questions why the Holy Spirit didn't prevent the accident, a moment of raw honesty rarely seen in faith-based cinema.
The film suggests that God's goodness isn't found in the prevention of pain, but in the "anonymous giving" that follows it. The dialogue regarding Romans 8:28 acts as a pivot point, moving the characters from asking "Why did this happen?" to "What is being made of this?"
Technical Craft: Cinematography and Soundscapes
Visually, the film employs a shifting color palette. The early scenes with Joel are bathed in warm, golden hues, representing a "paradise lost." Post-accident, the cinematography shifts to cool blues and harsh office lighting, reflecting Amara’s isolation.
The sound design deserves special mention. The recurring motif of a heartbeat—sometimes diegetic (hospital monitors) and sometimes symbolic (in the soundtrack during Tobi and Amara’s kiss)—serves as the emotional metronome of the film.
Scene-by-Scene Breakdown: The Turning Points
The ICU Decision
This is the film’s emotional "Ground Zero." The medical jargon about "irreversible brain damage" clashing with the pastoral encouragement to "keep the faith" creates a palpable tension. Amara’s decision to honor Joel’s wish is the ultimate act of sacrificial love, setting the stage for the miracle to come.
The Anniversary Trigger
The scene where Amara loses control upon seeing Tobi on the anniversary of Joel’s death is a pivotal character beat. It reminds the audience that she isn't "healed" yet; she is merely surviving. It makes her eventual love for Tobi feel earned rather than forced.
The Revelation
When Tobi shows Amara his surgical scar, the realization hits like a physical blow. The choice to play this scene with minimal music, focusing on the actors' breathing and stunned expressions, was a stroke of genius. It moves the story from a coincidence into the realm of the divine.
The Verdict: Is It Worth the Watch?
Still, My Heart Beats is a rare gem that respects the intelligence of its audience. It doesn't offer easy answers to the questions of death and loss. Instead, it offers a beautiful, albeit complex, vision of how life can be recycled into something new.
Quality Score: 9/10
Target Audience: This is for the viewers who loved The Wait or God Calling. If you enjoy high-stakes emotional dramas that challenge your spiritual perspective while delivering a satisfying romance, this is your next must-watch.
Conclusion: A Call to Watch
If you are looking for a film that will make you cry, think, and ultimately hope, "Still, My Heart Beats" is the movie of the year. It reminds us that even when a heart stops beating, love finds a way to keep the rhythm going in someone else.
Watch the full experience below. Don't forget to bring tissues—you’re going to need them.
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