The opening scene for An Instant Dad is refreshing. Their choice of music is groovy and catchy. It instantly gives you the vibes of an easy-going movie. It's a perfect pastime for a slow day.
An entire 'fancy' breakfast is made in the opening scene, after which the lady with a gorgeously manicured lady walks to the bedroom to deliver the breakfast to her last night's tryst partner. The guy is cold towards the lady from the onset, showing no interest in the breakfast or appreciation for her efforts. He eventually manages to devise an excuse sending the disappointed lady off, not forgetting that he kept calling her- not by her name. Soon after she's gone, the guy is ready to join his friends and keep the party going.
Isn't this a perfect illustration of what the 'Nairobi bedroom' is like, and how attempting to date in this day and age can be difficult where some people hope to settle while others are in it for some night fun? The drinking culture among the youth is also at play—social drinking is an element of status and friendship. This is a theme that comes up a lot more within the film.
So, loves, that is the trajectory this film begins with, but all that changes instantly- the instant factor is really coming up very well- when Amy, a 10-year-old supposed child of this guy, shows up at his doorstep in place of the FWB he had summoned over. Amy comes in, portraying a solid personality with grounded values.
Amy’s entrance transforms this story from a ‘life of the party’ vibe to an irresistibly family-friendly saga, putting the spotlight on wholesome, relatable moments. Amy presents a challenge to carefree guy. At some point, he decides to completely give up the child to any family member who would agree to raise her, leaving her with his empathetic cousin—Grace. Grace’s role, and later on the guy’s mother’s role, in this film is crucial. It brings out an entire perspective on the role of family in our lives and its immense contribution in instilling value in children’s lives, seeing that children bring so much value to ours.
While watching, you also can’t help but contemplate the importance of mothers in their children’s lives and, in entirety, the value of being present parents. An Instant Dad also touches heavily on dealing with grief and loss of a loved one and the various challenges parents, especially fathers, face after the loss of their kid’s mothers. It also subtly brings out how the sex culture in Nairobi and Kenya at large leads to single motherhood, absent fatherhood, and the rise of anonymous fathers.
Overall, this is a great movie with humour embedded into it while laying down a wealth of wisdom and understanding. It gets really emotional as it progresses. Interestingly, it does not deepthroat you with these emotions but instead layers them up like an onion, so much so it’s almost impossible not to choke up when it gets to those bits. The emotional climax is well worth it, as the viewers get their feelings acknowledged, justified, and catered to in a happy ending.
This is a refreshing movie, indeed. Even the setting in which it’s presented is reasonable to most viewers and not extravagant or poor and shabby- if you know what I mean. It can be considered a gem for its relevance across generations; young people and older people would enjoy it. Above all, it takes the crown for being one of those movies that inspire a better world just by existing.
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