Movie review: Finding Me is a tale of betrayal, self-discovery, and power

Funke Akindele delivers a gripping performance as Atinuke, a woman whose wealth blinds her to the deception woven into her marriage. “Finding Me” is more than just a story of infidelity and greed; it is a mirror reflecting societal norms, emotional abuse, and the strength it takes to reclaim one’s self-worth.

Atinuke is the daughter of the powerful Olowoporoku of Olowo Steel, a billionaire with enough influence to shake the corridors of power. Her money is a prize, and Kolawole Phillips, the man she loves, understands this better than she does. He does not love her, he loves what she represents.

The house, lifestyle and endless stream of wealth allow him to play the perfect husband while indulging his selfish desires.

Kolawole is not just unfaithful. He is calculating, manipulative, and deeply insecure. He hides a secret that threatens the foundation of their marriage: his inability to father a child. Rather than come clean, he crafts an elaborate lie with the help of his doctor friend, a man whose medical licence is as fake as the diagnosis he provides.

The scheme of Finding Me is cruel. Atinuke is told that she cannot conceive naturally. The words crush her, but she clings to the marriage, believing love will compensate for what she has been told she lacks.

Her loyalty is met with ridicule. Kolawole taunts her weight, scoffs at her efforts to improve herself, and spends his nights in the arms of mistresses who do not question his lies. But Atinuke is not broken. She takes control of her body, embracing fitness and fashion in ways that surprise even Kolawole. Still, Kolawole does not see her as a woman deserving of love, only as a bank account he must control.

Then, fate intervenes. She meets Anthony. He is everything Kolawole is not. He is kind, attentive, and without the pretence of ulterior motives.

From their affair, a child is conceived.

Atinuke sees this as a chance to repair her marriage, a desperate attempt to force reality into the dream she refuses to let go of. Kolawole is many things, but he is not foolish. He knows he cannot be the father, and when he learns of the pregnancy, his cruelty reaches new heights. He plots to end the child’s life before it is born, enlisting his doctor friend to make it happen.

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His plan is overheard. The driver, a silent observer of the chaos in the household, delivers the warning. But Atinuke, ever the hopeful wife, believes her marriage can still be saved. She cuts ties with Anthony, willing to erase the one man who made her feel seen, in favour of a husband who sees her as nothing more than a liability.

Kolawole will not let things lie. He finds Anthony and frames him for murder, pinning the death of a girl he was meant to pay for a surveillance job on the innocent man. But fate is not on Kolawole’s side. The girl’s sister speaks up. The walls of his deception begin to crumble.

In the final confrontation, Atinuke stumbles upon the truth. She finds the medical report that exposes Kolawole’s impotence. The lie she had built her world around unravels before her eyes. When he enters the room, he knows his time is up. They fight, not just with words but with the pent-up rage of years of deception and suffering.

Her brother, Dotun, arrives to help, but Kolawole, ever the master manipulator, is relentless. He tries to destroy the evidence, to escape the consequences of his lies. But Atinuke’s best friend has already called the police.

Kolawole is caught in the compound. The doctor followed shortly earlier. Justice, swift and inevitable, finds them both.

Atinuke does not lose her pregnancy. She does not lose herself.

“Finding Me” reflection of society

“Finding Me” is not just a film. It is a statement. It explores how society conditions women to believe their worth is tied to their ability to bear children. Atinuke’s story resonates beyond Nigeria, touching on universal themes of emotional manipulation, toxic masculinity, and the societal pressure to maintain a broken marriage for the sake of appearances.

Kolawole represents a type of man too often found in patriarchal societies. He is the one who sees his wife as property, who wields deception as a weapon and who thrives on control. Atinuke, on the other hand, is the woman many can relate to: the one who stays too long, who believes love can change a man, who only realises her strength when she has been pushed to the edge.

Akindele’s performance brings Atinuke to life in a way that is both heartbreaking and empowering. Her transformation is not just physical but emotional. She goes from a woman desperate for love to one who finds the strength to walk away from what does not serve her.

The cinematography is striking, capturing the contrast between Atinuke’s seemingly perfect life and the dark reality lurking beneath. The sound design amplifies the tension, making every revelation hit harder. The screenplay is deliberate, each scene building toward the inevitable collapse of Kolawole’s carefully constructed lies.

“Finding Me” is a story of betrayal, but more importantly, it is a story of self-discovery. It is about a woman who loses herself in a marriage built on deceit and finds her way back, stronger than before. It is a powerful narrative that does not just entertain but forces the audience to reflect on the roles we play in enabling or challenging societal expectations.

Atinuke finds herself. And in doing so, she finds her freedom.