‘An Instant Dad’ Review: A Heartfelt Kenyan Take on a Time-Tested Formula

An Instant Dad is a story we’ve all seen before. It’s reminiscent of the charm and playful exuberance of 2000s Disney films that always paired tough guys with adorable children, often daughters, creating a delightful blend of comedy and heartwarming moments throughout the runtime. This film, produced by Avant Films, stays true to this tried-and-true formula. Like Vin Diesel in The Pacifier or Dwayne Johnson in The Game Plan, Blessing Lung’aho (Country Queen) steps into the shoes of the rugged star, and by his side is the sweet and endearing Hannah Wanjiku (A Familiar Christmas), in only her second onscreen appearance, there to remind him, and the audience, that there’s more to life than fleeting feel-good moments.

Lung’aho’s Rikki, introduced as a charismatic ladies’ man, initially comes across as a narcissistic and self-centred womaniser who cleverly navigates his selfish desires with the help and esteem of his boy’s club. This shallow existence takes a drastic turn when a wide-eyed and inquisitive ten-year-old girl named Amy (Wanjiku) shows up on his doorstep, claiming to be his daughter. Rikki is then forced to adapt to a lifestyle filled with newfound responsibilities: prayer rituals, home-cooked meals, bedtime stories, and the forgotten art of cartoons.

Jennifer Gatero returns to both pen and direct An Instant Dad. And very much like her debut feature Nairobby, which was among the first Kenyan films to land on Netflix, this one seems to be getting similar treatment albeit with a comedic approach that is a stark deviation from the crime-induced narrative of Nairobby, but with very much a distinct style that is defining her career. Handled with the same minimalistic approach as her first, Gatero seems confident enough in her craft to condense all the important bits of established narratives into minimal locations and actors while bringing out the best in her performers to magnify simplistic narratives to greater heights and make them her own.

Unlike the films An Instant Dad is modelled from, there is clearly a lack of a B plot, which is often the easiest way to drum up most of the comedic bits the genre relies on. With just as much run time as these films and drawn up to their pace, An Instant Dad has to overextend its main plot, with almost every scene playing a few minutes more than it needs to. And though the pacing for the most part is perfect, the most crucial plot point – when the relationship between father and daughter comes crumbling down – misses a beat, rushing too quickly to pit them against each other for the big bust-up in the final act.

But even with slip-ups like this, and in place of a subplot, the film delivers a surplus of heart, skilfully portrayed by Lung’aho and Wanjiku, whose vibrant and magnetic onscreen chemistry makes every minute worthwhile. An Instant Dad effectively earns its laughs and heart; even those without a penchant for sentimentality might find themselves shedding a tear or two. Channelling the nuances of trauma, the sentimentality of grandmotherly adulation, and the playful banter between the boys, it’s fair to say this film anchors itself in a relatable, grounded narrative highlighting the bumps and highs of parenthood while curving a Kenyan identity to a universal story. For a low-budget film that serves adequate entertainment for its target audience, An Instant Dad is a triumph “in all the best ways.”