--- title: "My Father's Shadow: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow" critics_score: 84 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # My Father's Shadow (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 84 from 11 reviews: 11 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are unanimous and the spread is narrow: every critic reads Akinola Davies Jr’s debut as a strong one, with scores clustering in the eighties and only a couple straying higher. The praise settles in three places. First, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as the absent father, described as tender, nuanced and mythic in roughly equal measure. Second, the casting of real-life brothers as the two boys, which several critics say gives the sibling scenes an ease that could not have been directed into them. Third, Lagos in 1993: most reviews dwell on how the film puts the city’s noise, heat and menace through a child’s eyes, with the sound design and cinematography singled out more than once. Reservations are scarce. The Hollywood Reporter finds the storytelling patchy in places, and one or two critics call the film elusive, but nobody treats that as a serious fault. Real dissent has not yet arrived. ## Variety — Murtada Elfadl Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 May 2025. Festival review. The critic hails the debut as a miraculous gem of autofiction that upends expectations with its intimate family drama set against political unrest. It singles out the authentic casting of real-life brothers as the young leads and the revelatory performance of Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as the mythic father for particular praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/my-fathers-shadow-review-nigeria-cannes-1236402288/) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2026. The critic calls it a hugely impressive debut, personal and political, a tender and spellbinding depiction of family in fraught times. They single out the film's ability to evocatively summon the sights, sounds and smells of Lagos and the well-rounded performance by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/my-fathers-shadow/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 18 May 2025. Festival review. The critic praises Akinola Davies Jr's strong directorial debut as a moving, personal coming-of-age story about two boys briefly reunited with their absent father during Nigeria's 1993 election unrest. It highlights the film's child’s-eye view of Lagos and the emotional question of whether absence equates to love. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/18/my-fathers-shadow-review-subtle-and-intelligent-coming-of-age-tale-set-in-1993-nigeria) ## Financial Times — Jonathan Romney Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2026. The critic describes the film as a strong autobiographically inspired debut that captures a hallucinatory child’s-eye view of 1993 Lagos and paternal complexities. It praises the inspired casting of the young brothers and Dirisu’s tender, thoughtful presence. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/9302f863-13c4-4da1-a4db-41182c86763d) ## Radio Times — James Mottram Rating 4/5. The critic describes it as a beguiling coming-of-age story with a strong sense of place in a teeming, vibrant yet dangerous Lagos, praising the beautiful performances that capture the boys’ realization of their father’s strengths and flaws. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-7f7kfn/my-fathers-shadow/) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 4/5. 19 May 2025. Festival review. The critic calls it a bold debut that blends wide-eyed childhood discovery with political tension in 1990s Nigeria, praising the immersive controlled chaos, strong performances by Sope Dirisu and the young leads, and its touching, contemplative quality. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/my-fathers-shadow-review-2025) ## The Times — Ed Potton Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2026. The review commends the assured directorial debut and Sope Dirisu's nuanced, moving performance as the absent father reconnecting with his sons amid political tension. It singles out the finely judged sibling dynamics and the film's trilingual authenticity. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/my-fathers-shadow-film-review-sope-dirisu-wlsrhwhmm) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich 18 May 2025. Festival review. The critic describes it as a beautifully remembered drama about a fateful day trip into Lagos and the first Nigerian film at Cannes. They highlight the semi-autobiographical tale of an absent father trying to set an example for his sons amid national turmoil. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/my-fathers-shadow-review-nigerian-film-1235123198/) ## Sight and Sound 3 February 2026. The critic praises Akinola Davies Jr.’s debut as an exquisite exploration of family bonds and childhood discovery during a single day in 1990s Lagos amid political unrest. It highlights the natural performances by the real-life brother actors and the film’s tender handling of memory, nostalgia, and moral guidance. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/my-fathers-shadow-exquisite-exploration-family-bonds-1990s-nigeria) ## Slant Magazine — Derek Smith 7 February 2026. The critic calls it a moving portrait of a family and nation on the cusp of change, praising how it filters personal and political hope and fear through the boys' perspectives with strong sound design and character depth. They note the father's complexity and the film's symbolic elements. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/my-fathers-shadow-review-sope-dirisu/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Lovia Gyarkye 20 May 2025. Festival review. The critic calls the debut an elegant and stirring ode to Lagos that poetically parallels the personal and the political through a father-son story set against Nigeria's 1993 election crisis. They single out the impressionistic, child-centered visuals and sound design for praise while noting some patchy narrative elements. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/my-fathers-shadow-review-nigeria-sope-dirisu-1236220935/) ## The New York Times — Alissa Wilkinson Rating NYT Critic’s Pick. 12 February 2026. The critic finds the film a deeply personal coming-of-age story filtered through memory and love, following two young brothers on a pivotal day with their father amid Nigeria's 1993 political turmoil. It singles out the luminous, odyssey-like quality of the boys' perspective for praise. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/movies/my-fathers-shadow-review.html) ## The Playlist — Carlos Aguilar Rating A. 18 May 2025. Festival review. The critic calls it a mournful miracle and one of the most stirring debuts in recent years. He singles out the film's lyrical imagery seen through the children's eyes and its devastating emotional impact in the final minutes. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/my-fathers-shadow-review-a-mournful-miracle-of-a-film-evokes-heartbreak-similar-to-aftersun-but-1990s-lagos-nigeria-cannes-20250518/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 May 2025. Festival review. The critic calls it one of the most moving and universally relevant films at the festival, highlighting the heartfelt story of fathers and sons, strong performances, and poetic cinematography. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/05/my-fathers-shadow-review-cannes-1236402626/) ## Paste Rating B+. 13 February 2026. The critic calls this a sweet and arresting debut feature from British-Nigerian writer-director Akinola Davies Jr. that follows two brothers on an impromptu day trip to Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 election crisis. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/akinola-davies-jr/my-fathers-shadow-review) ## The Wrap — Steve Pond Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 May 2025. Festival review. The critic describes the film as a rhapsody that mixes family dynamics with mystery and political turmoil, praising its elusive quality and blend of reality and imagination. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/my-fathers-shadow-review-cannes-first-nigerian-movie-mixes-autobiography-and-mystery/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow.md