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Soul Boy

Soul Boy

A Lost Father. A Dedicated Son. A Magical Journey.

201061 minGMidcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Director
Hawa Essuman
Starring
Samson Odhiambo, Leila Dayan Opou, Krysteen Savane, Frank Kimani

Abila (14) lives in one of the most miserable slums in Africa. His girlfriend Shiku belongs to a different tribe, as the result of which he is not really allowed to fraternize with her. And then one drunken night his father gambles away his own soul.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Soul Boy?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Soul Boy streaming on Demand Africa via Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Soul Boy?

Soul Boy earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Soul Boy worth watching?

Soul Boy's Midcredits score is the 68th percentile of all films, from 770 ratings across 4 sources. 60% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

68th percentile

Better received than 68% of films

70th percentile among Drama68th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)68th
Approval (how many liked it)66th

67 /100

68th percentile of all films

71st percentile among Drama68th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

60% liked it

66th percentile of all films

67th percentile among Drama66th percentile among 2010s
60% rated it 7–1040% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 7 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

31st percentile

770 ratings across platforms

33rd percentile among Drama36th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$16K

17th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a simple, technically well-crafted but thin story set in a Kenyan slum with a novice lead actor and an excellent lead actress.

Fans praised

  • Visually and sonically impressive for an African-themed production
  • Lead actress's performance is spectacular
  • Uplifting message about human kindness despite harsh setting

Detractors panned

  • Thin, unrealistic storyline derivative of European films like Run Lola Run
  • Lead actor is stiff and uncomfortable in his debut role
  • Lacks authentic African perspective due to European crew influence

What stands out

Cinematography75

Technically impressive visuals for an African-themed film

Atmosphere65

Immersive Kibera slum setting but authenticity questioned

Emotional impact65

Uplifting and humbling, beautiful human kindness message

Pacing65

Quickly unfolding at one hour, no lollygagging

ActingDivisive50

Lead actress praised as spectacular, lead actor criticized as stilted and cardboardy

Characters40

Tasks carry spiritual message but character depth minimal in short runtime

Plot and story35

Thin, unrealistic, and derivative of Run Lola Run

OriginalityDivisive30

Derivative of European films, lacks authenticity despite unique setting

Watch experience

What is Soul Boy like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
HopefulTenseBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its characters and their struggles with gentle sincerity, emphasising kindness and hope.
The rideThe mood shifts from tense and worried during the quest to hopeful by the resolved happy ending.
StructureThe story follows a linear chronological sequence as Abila searches for the witch.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with kindness that restores faith, leaving the viewer hopeful and uplifted.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA 14-year-old boy embarks on a quest to recover his father's soul from a witch in the Kibera slum, while navigating a forbidden love.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Abila's devotion to his father and his bond with Shiku, set within a tight-knit slum community.
StanceThe film celebrates family loyalty and the courage of a young boy, presenting love and kindness as the cure for evil.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticMagical realism
Orchestral classicalFolkSupportive music · original score · Xaver von Treyer
SettingKibera slum, Nairobi, Kenya
MusicThe score likely blends African folk elements with orchestral textures to underscore the cultural setting.

Content guide

Is Soul Boy okay for kids?

G

Soul Boy is rated G.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Germany6
  • Poland16

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Soul Boy have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Soul Boy?

Cast

Samson Odhiambo
as Abila
Leila Dayan Opou
as Shiku
Krysteen Savane
as Nyawawa
Frank Kimani
as Macharia
Joab Ogolla
as Abi's Father
Lucy Gachanja
as Abi's Mother
Katherine Damaris
as Aunt Susan
Kevin Onyango Omondi
as Bojo
Calvin Shikuku Odhiambo
as Kaka
Nordeen Abdulghani
as Willie

Crew

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