A Ride to Love Review: Is This the Most Realistic Take on the "Toxic Nollywood Workplace"?
The Romance That Started with a Bolt Dispute
By Chima Okafor, Nollywood Critic for NollywoodTimes.com
February 1, 2026; Sophie Chisom's Latest Movie Steals Hearts Amid Dating Chaos & Office Drama
Picture a Lagos street that explodes into chaos as two strangers—fuming from disastrous dates—battle over a ride-share in broad daylight. "That's my ride!" they shout, phones flashing booking confirmations, while the driver sweats bullets. This electric moment from A Ride to Love (2026), the latest YouTube drop from My El-Roi TV, hooks you instantly. Starring Sophie Chisom (Soso) as the fiery Chama, Michael Dappa as the charming Donald, and Cynthia Clarke as the icy Felicia, this 1:17:28 romantic drama premiered January 28, 2026.
In a Nollywood scene craving fresh spins on love, A Ride to Love masterfully fuses modern dating scams with corporate intrigue, delivering relatable gut-punches for Lagos youth. But does it fully stick the landing amid pacing hiccups? Rated 7.5/10, it's a must-watch for Sophie Chisom fans and 2026 Nollywood romantic drama enthusiasts. Can a bumpy ride rewrite destinies? Let's dive in.
The Setup: Two Heartbreaks and a Shared Ride
The film opens by establishing the emotional exhaustion of its leads. Chama (Sophie Chisom) is introduced in the middle of a brutal realization: the man she’s been seeing for three months is married. Her reaction isn’t one of histrionics, but of weary resignation—a testament to Chisom’s grounded acting.
Then comes the "meet-cute" that isn't cute at all. Outside a restaurant, Chama and Donard (Michael Dappa) engage in a classic Lagosian standoff over a booked ride. The dialogue here is snappy and relatable, capturing that specific brand of "street frustration" before the story shifts gears into the boardroom.
The Corporate Shark: Enter Felicia
The narrative takes a sharp turn when both protagonists find themselves employed by Felicia (Cynthia Clarke). Clarke plays Felicia with a chilling, serpentine elegance. She isn’t a "boss babe" trope; she is a power-hungry architect of human lives.
Felicia sets the tone early with a strict no-fraternization policy. This creates the primary tension of the film: The Forbidden Love vs. The Career Ladder. While Chama is focused on doing her job with integrity, Donard is seduced by the allure of a "shortcut" to the top.
Scene Breakdown: The Laundry Power Play
One of the most discussed scenes in the film involves Felicia asking Donard to handle her "delicate" Valentina lingerie. This is a masterful piece of writing that subverts traditional gender roles in Nollywood.
"The washing machine can handle most of my clothes, but my underwear... they need to be washed thoroughly." — Felicia
This isn't about laundry; it’s about emasculation and ownership. Felicia uses domestic intimacy as a tether to pull Donard away from Chama. The film brilliantly portrays Donard’s internal conflict—he knows it's wrong, but the promise of a "vacation" and a "salary increase" acts as a potent carrot.
Character Analysis: Sophie Chisom as 'Chama'
Sophie Chisom delivers a standout performance. In many Nollywood films, the "scorned woman" is written as a victim, but Chama is written as a woman with a high "B.S. detector."
Her friendship with Vanessa serves as the film's moral compass. When Chama describes modern dating as a "scam" where men "waste clay" that could have been used to make mosquitoes, it resonates as a viral, meme-worthy moment that captures the zeitgeist of 2026 dating culture.
Character Analysis: Michael Dappa as 'Donard'
Donard is a complex, frustrating protagonist. He represents a specific type of ambitious young man who believes he can "play the player." His belief that he can manipulate Felicia to get a promotion while keeping Chama on the side is his downfall. Dappa plays this arrogance with just enough charm that you want him to learn his lesson rather than simply disappear.
The Thematic Core: Ambition vs. Integrity
At its heart, "A Ride to Love" asks: What is the cost of a shortcut? Donard’s friend warns him that "digging with a long spoon" when eating with the devil is dangerous. The film suggests that in the quest for "connects" and "2-year career plans," we often sacrifice the "real love" that takes 7 or 8 years to build.
The third act, where Donard realizes he is merely a "puppet" on Felicia’s fingers, is a sobering look at how the corporate world can hollow out personal relationships.
Technical Merits and Pacing
Clocking in at 1 hour and 17 minutes, the film avoids the "Nollywood bloat." The pacing is tight, moving from the restaurant conflict to the corporate office with efficiency. The cinematography uses the sleek, cold interiors of Felicia’s office to contrast with the warm, messy reality of Chama’s home life.
The Verdict: A Must-Watch for the 'LinkedIn Generation'
"A Ride to Love" succeeds because it doesn't offer easy answers. It acknowledges that the workplace is a battlefield and that love is often collateral damage. While the ending leans toward a traditional romantic resolution, the journey there is paved with realistic depictions of insecurity, predatory power dynamics, and the struggle to remain "human" in a digital world.
Why it’s viral-ready:
Relatable Dialogue: The "Modern dating is a scam" rant.
The Lingerie Scene: A bold take on workplace harassment and power play.
The Chemistry: Dappa and Chisom move from "enemies to lovers" with believable heat.
Conclusion: Should You Stream It?
If you’ve ever felt invisible at work, or if you’ve ever been "ghosted" by someone who claimed to want commitment, this movie will speak to your soul. It is a cautionary tale for the ambitious and a beacon of hope for those who value self-worth over a paycheck.
Watch "A Ride to Love" on My El-Roi TV today—and whatever you do, don't wash your boss's laundry.
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