MOVIE REVIEW: My Baby Doll: Unrealistic low-budget film that’s surprisingly satisfying

Movie Title: My Baby Doll

Language: English

Running time: 1 hour 48 minutes

Release date: 2024

Streaming platform: Youtube

Producer: Ini Edo, Arsenal Bruno

Director: Akin Tijanni Balogun

Cast: Ini Edo, Patience Ozokwo, IK Ogbonna, Rosemary Afuwape, Ogbonna Blessing, Sotex Soberekon, Ashanike Aliya, Elizabeth Obinani, Edna Ejechie, Nwachi Anita Onyinyechi, and Ojukwu Somtochukwu.

The journey towards motherhood can be a difficult and trying time for women who have had several miscarriages, stillbirths or are unable to conceive. The presence of a supportive husband or relative can help the woman during that waiting phase.

Losing a child is an experience that comes with a lot of pain and trauma. Every woman experiences pain differently, and no woman should be compared to another.

The movie “My Baby Doll” by Ini Edo vividly portrays the profound challenges, heartbreaking difficulties, and deep emotional trauma that many women endure in their quest to conceive and carry a child to term. The film sheds light on the often-overlooked pain of miscarriage and the anguish of losing a child, illustrating how crucial it is for people to show support and also the importance of therapy.

The film talks about a woman who has had several miscarriages and a stillbirth and is grieving in a way that seems abnormal to people. When she eventually opens up about her miscarriages and attends therapy, she ultimately overcomes depression.

PLOT

The movie begins with Linda getting a room ready for the arrival of her baby doll. The doll arrives, and she is excited to be privileged to have a child, but her husband is upset and doesn’t buy the idea of calling a doll his daughter. She invites her friend and her mother-in-law for her baby doll’s naming ceremony.

Excited that Linda now has a baby, they are thrown off balance by the appearance of a baby doll instead of a real baby. However, Linda’s mother-in-law quickly understood what was happening and supported her. She acts well to Linda and her supposed granddaughter Precious to make her daughter-in-law comfortable. Churchill, Linda’s husband, is losing it due to his wife’s current behaviour. He feels she is running mad and threatens to get a second wife who will not run mad anytime soon.

Linda displays all the characteristics of a new mother, panicking and worried that her baby is running a temperature. Her mother-in-law assures her that nothing is wrong with the baby’s health, and she is feeling that way because she is a new mother. Churchill feels the two women in his life are going insane when he sees the mother combing Precious’s hair.

The day for immunisation comes, and Linda wants to take her child to the hospital, but Churchill refuses. However, her mother-in-law takes them to the hospital, and they are denied access to see the doctor because the baby is a doll. Referring to her baby as a doll breaks Linda so much that she again rejects her husband’s advances at night, claiming he is not considerate.

Upset that his mother took Linda to the hospital for immunisation, he confronts her and tells her to respect his role as the man of the house. The following day, his mother packs her things and leaves the house to avoid having issues with her son. Linda is unhappy and broken because the only person who supports her is leaving the house.

Linda returns to the hospital for Precious’ immunisation; this time, she causes a scene and is tied up as the hospital calls her husband. Frustrated, he vents his anger on her, saying hurtful words to her regarding her eight miscarriages.

Shortly after the incident, Churchill’s mother tells him how she also had her share of depression after three miscarriages, but in her case, her husband, Churchill’s father, was supportive. She recommends a therapy group for Linda and encourages her son to support his wife, who is going through a lot.

Churchill started trying to be a supportive husband and father from that moment. The therapy impacts Linda and many other women going through the same trauma and pain positively.

Character Analysis

The movie features talented actors like Patience Ozokwor, Ini Edo and Ik Ogbonna, who give their best as always.

Ini Edo portrays Linda, a woman who is traumatised by the loss of her children through miscarriages, stillbirth and death. She delivered her roles effortlessly, dishing out a wave of emotions. Her acting brings depth to the movie, making Linda’s pain relatable to the audience.

Patience Ozokwor portrays Linda’s mother-in-law. The typical Ozokwor, who comes off as wicked in most of her movies, takes a different role in this film as she helps Linda through this challenging phase. One would expect her to throw Linda out of the house or encourage her son to get a new wife, but she did not. Instead, she shows a sweet part of her, giving the audience hope that there are good mothers-in-law out there. Her performance is, as expected, nothing short of perfection and originality.

IK Ogbonna, as Churchill, plays the role of a husband who can’t fully relate to his wife’s pain and thinks that the only solution is to scold her or even take another wife. He embodies men who struggle to understand that losing children can affect a woman’s mental health. His frustration is also understandable, as he is struggling but wants to restore the peace in his home.

He is impatient and does not seem to understand what women go through when waiting to have their children. Most men are only concerned about themselves. Despite the pain his wife is experiencing, he wants sex from her without sympathising with her.

However, he later understands the pain his wife is going through after his mum tells him she was also depressed after having several miscarriages, but her father was supportive. Churchill has also lost his babies and is grieving, but he is managing the pain differently.

Movie Analysis

The movie My Baby Doll is another piece that showcases Edo’s creativity. It makes the audience connect to the pain of women trying to conceive. This movie, aside from exploring the emotional trauma caused by childlessness, touches on themes like love, patience, and the significance of a community.

Some scenes and statements evoke strong meaning and interpretation. In the scene when her baby doll arrives, she says, “I hope she will like me.” When critically analysed, this statement could mean, “I hope this child would like me enough to stay with me,” in other words, “I hope she won’t leave me too.”

The movie serves as a therapeutic balm for TTC (Trying to conceive) mothers or women who have experienced miscarriages or the loss of a child and feel depressed and hopeless. Seeing this movie will bring healing and relief to many women and couples who find solace in its narrative.

The movie is quite unpredictable and has a lot to learn from. At times, you might anticipate specific outcomes—such as the protagonist committing suicide or eventually conceiving and having a child—but the film defies these expectations. It remains grounded in realism throughout. Featuring Ozokwor in this film plays a role in misleading one’s prediction, leaving you thinking that there is more to Mama’s kindness to her daughter-in-law, which is a plus.

Edo explores the use of flashbacks to enhance the movie’s narrative and shed light on the cause of Linda’s trauma.

Attention to detail is evident in this film. Linda carefully places her baby to sleep, using two pillows to prevent the baby from rolling off the bed. They also consistently change their bedspread, duvet, and hairstyles, a level of detail often missing in Nollywood productions.

The cinematography, lighting, and camera angle are good, but nothing extra.

The storyline, though a bit unrealistic because no Nigerian would flaunt a doll around comfortably due to childlessness, sheds light on the mental health of women who are trying to conceive or who have experienced the loss of a child or children. Despite being a low-budget film, it is exciting and different from the usual and standard pattern of stories on YouTube—Edo, maximising resources to put together a movie that serves as a therapy for women who need healing.

‘My Baby Doll’ is streaming on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jgMAm05pBRI?si=M2wvlmzG7-El7gMm.

Verdict

6/10