Film

Lionheart

Name: Lionheart
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 2018
Cast: Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, Onyeka Onwenu, Kanayo O. Kanayo

Drama

Lionheart is a Nigerian comedy-drama about a sharp woman forced to rescue her father's failing bus business alongside her infuriating uncle. It's warm and funny, grounded in real family dynamics and workplace frustration. A character-driven story about competence going unrecognized, wrapped in humour and set within a world most cinema ignores.

TMDb rating

3.1

If you liked this

Half of a Yellow Sun2013

Sweeping family epic set against Nigeria's Biafran War, with the same emotional weight and cultural specificity. Genevieve Nnaji anchors a multigenerational story about love, survival, and impossible choices.

But Heavy historical trauma can overshadow the intimate character moments. The film asks a lot of patience with its scope and pacing.

Eyimofe (This Is My Desire)2021

Two parallel stories of ordinary Nigerians navigating impossible bureaucracies and economic pressure. The same specificity of place, the same dignity given to unglamorous struggle and small human moments.

But It's quieter and more austere than Lionheart. There's no conventional plot engine; it moves at the pace of real life, which some find slow.

The Wedding Party2016

Nollywood ensemble comedy that crackles with charm. Family chaos, romantic entanglement, and affectionate ribbing—lighter than Lionheart, but cut from the same social fabric.

But Very much a rom-com confection. If you came for Lionheart's grit, this might feel too frothy and plot-driven.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Lionheart

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Bend It Like Beckham2002

Both centre on a woman's competence being invisible to her family until circumstances force recognition. Both are comedies that believe their characters deserve dignity and respect.

Genevieve Nnaji is not in this. What it shares with Lionheart is the core engine: a capable young woman fighting for recognition and agency while navigating family expectation, gender, and economic pressure. A joy to watch—warm, funny, never condescending to its characters or their world.

But It's British-Indian, not Nigerian. If you're seeking Nollywood specifically, this is elsewhere. Some might find the sports-comedy wrapper slight.

Kaguya-sama Final: Love Is War2021

A contemporary Nigerian romance with genuine humour and chemistry between leads. It understands that comedy and emotion can live in the same scene.

But Fairly conventional in structure. If you're looking for something formally inventive, this won't surprise you.

Òlòtūré2019

A much darker film than Lionheart, but it shares an unflinching look at what women endure and overcome in Nigeria. Virtuoso central performance from Sharon Ooja.

But It's a film about human trafficking and sexual violence. The tonal shift from Lionheart is severe. Not an evening's entertainment; an interrogation.

Rafiki2018

Both are African films interested in individual desire and resistance within a specific social context. Neither treats culture as exotic or its characters as victims.

A Kenyan film about two young women navigating their relationship in a society hostile to it. Shot with luminous beauty, written with sharp humour and tenderness. It shares Lionheart's specificity of place and its refusal to make African life a backdrop for Western stories.

But It's a love story with political weight; some may find it heavy-handed. The Kenyan setting, while proximate, is not Nigeria. LGBTQ+ content, which some audiences avoid.

A Prophet2009

Both films trust their central character's intelligence and resourcefulness. Both are character studies about what it takes to survive when the system is stacked against you, and what you become in the process. Same engine, different settings.

A French-language prison drama where a young man rises from nothing through will and cunning. Like Lionheart, it's fundamentally about a competent person forced to navigate a broken system. Shot with dark intensity, written with real intelligence. No sentimentality.

But It's French. It's brutal—violence is the currency. Tonal whiplash from Lionheart's warmth. The setting is a prison, not a family business. Very long (155 minutes).