Forget the Fairy Tale: ‘Never Far Away’ is Nollywood’s Brutal Reality Check on Toxic Marriages

Warning: This review dives deep into the emotional core of Gold Screen TV’s powerful 2025 release, Never Far Away. Prepare for intense character dissection.

Welcome to the newest viral sensation that is tearing apart the comfortable lies we tell ourselves about love: Never Far Away. This isn’t a sugary Nollywood romance where the rich man eventually sees the light and the heroine’s tears turn into diamonds. This is a cold, hard look at what happens when vanity, narcissism, and simple, brutal miscommunication collide to destroy two marriages—one with a spectacular bang, and another with a quiet, agonizing whimper.

Directed with an unblinking eye for human frailty, the film uses a seemingly straightforward premise—a divorced couple attempting to counsel their friends through a marital crisis—to unravel layers of deep-seated trauma, pride, and regret. At a staggering 86-minute runtime (and trust me, every minute counts), Never Far Away demands your attention, forcing you to look past the glamour of its Lagos setting and confront the ugly reality of emotional abuse hiding behind a perfect wedding ring. If you need a movie to remind you that sometimes, leaving is the only form of winning, this is it.

The Double Crisis: A Fractured Foundation

The narrative genius of Never Far Away lies in its parallel storytelling. We are introduced to two couples whose relationships, despite their vastly different trajectories, are both monuments to failure.

The Inferno: Renie and Lai

Renie (the wife) and Lai (the actor, dubbed the “screen god”) are the central disaster. Their marriage is a hollow shell, held together only by Renie’s breadwinning stability and Lai’s blinding vanity. The opening scenes establish Renie as the exhausted, mentally drained partner, seeking refuge from her marital home, while Lai continues to cruise through life, oblivious to the emotional devastation he has wrought.

The Ashes: Tessy and Sha

Tessy, now a highly successful relationship guru with a massive social media following, and her ex-husband, Sha, are the unexpected counsellors. Their five-year separation ended in divorce, fueled by pride and a tragic misunderstanding. Their presence in the film isn’t just for comic relief or side drama; they are the mirror reflecting the younger couple’s mistakes, providing a stark look at the long-term consequences of failing to fight for your love. Their interactions, though barbed with lingering bitterness, hint at the powerful connection that the years of separation failed to extinguish.

Character Dissection: Lai – The Narcissist King

If Never Far Away had an antagonist, it would be Lai. His character is a masterclass in showcasing the entitlement and gaslighting often present in toxic relationships. His celebrity status isn’t just a career detail; it’s the armor he wears to excuse monstrous behavior.

The ‘Barney’ Humiliation

The core of Lai’s toxicity is brutally revealed when Renie recalls his post-pregnancy comments. Lai didn’t just casually insult his wife; he delivered a calculated, sustained attack on her body. He referred to her stomach as “Papa Jasper” and “Barney” during intimate moments, a despicable act of emotional violence. This is not just a disagreement; it is a profound lack of respect for the woman who bore his child and, significantly, the breadwinner who funds his lifestyle. The movie pulls no punches here: this scene is designed to make the audience uncomfortable, highlighting how male fragility can manifest as spiteful cruelty toward a partner’s physical transformation. His casual justification—”he just jokes”—is the textbook defense of the emotional abuser.

The Public Betrayal

Lai’s appearance on national television, where he speaks ill of his wife, cements his role as the villain. This wasn’t a private fight; this was a calculated, public humiliation. Renie’s subsequent feeling of being a “laughing stock” resonates deeply. The film accurately portrays the insidious nature of modern toxic behavior, where marital issues become viral content, and the victim is forced to internalize the shame. His entitlement is boundless; he genuinely believes Renie has no right to be angry, viewing her feelings as an inconvenience to his acting career.

The Scars of Tessy: Preaching What You Need to Hear

Tessy’s arc is equally compelling because of the raw irony. She is the relationship expert, the “Me Before Him” guru, preaching empowerment and self-worth to a half-million gullible followers [01:00:42]. Yet, beneath the perfectly curated advice and flawless appearance, she is a deeply hurt woman who built her entire career on running from her own pain.

The Trauma of the Miscarriage

The movie subtly reveals the depth of Tessy and Sha’s shared pain. When Tessy confronts Sha about his abandonment, she reminds him of her pain and the miscarriage she suffered [01:10:45]. This single line adds immense weight to their separation, transforming it from a simple quarrel into a traumatic loss that solidified her belief that Sha prioritized his work above all else. Her aggressive independence is revealed to be a defense mechanism, a suit of armor forged in heartbreak.

The Irony of the Guru

Sha, who sees through her facade, accurately points out that the real Tessy—the woman he loved—would never peddle “random posts to strangers on how to behave” [01:15:56]. This critique is crucial: it shows that Tessy’s public persona is a performance, a coping mechanism, and a way to monetize her unresolved pain. Her journey isn’t just about getting back with Sha; it’s about tearing down the successful, but ultimately false, identity she built upon a foundation of avoidance.

The Interview Showdown: Unmasking the Pain

The centerpiece of the film is the couples’ counseling session, conducted by Tessy and Sha. This scene is a masterclass in writing and performance, utilizing parallel interviews to expose the chasm between Renie and Lai’s perspectives.

When Lai is asked what he loves about Renie, his answer is transactional and self-serving: “She’s got brains… she’s not much of a baddie, but she’s keyed in” [00:25:58]. His words confirm Renie’s deepest fears: he views her as a sensible investment—a quiet, intelligent woman who won’t embarrass him—not a beloved partner.

Renie’s interview, conversely, is steeped in genuine affection and profound hurt. She still sees the potential in him, saying, “He can be mean sometimes, but that’s just how he is… he tries his best” [00:25:11]. This moment is heartbreaking because it shows the lingering love that keeps her trapped, desperately rationalizing his abuse.

The interviews serve their purpose: they confirm to Renie, and to the audience, that Lai’s pathology is too deep to fix, while simultaneously demonstrating that the connection between Tessy and Sha is too strong to ignore.

The Reconciliation Reveal: A Triumph of Love over Pride

The most compelling twist is the truth behind Tessy and Sha’s divorce. It wasn’t irreconcilable differences; it was a simple, three-day miscommunication compounded by ego and fear.

The Three-Day Silence

Sha clarifies that when he left after their fight, he drove to Abiola and switched off his phone for three days in self-disappointment [00:40:19]. This was not abandonment; it was emotional incompetence. However, when he returned, Tessy was gone, and her friends had sworn to secrecy [01:03:30]. Tessy’s subsequent action—posting a picture with another man—was not moving on, but a desperate act of retaliation, designed to hurt him as she was hurt.

Sha’s Undying Loyalty

Sha’s redemption is earned, not given. He reveals that he spent the last three years in the background, a ghost husband, checking on Tessy through their friends, and providing financial support to her family, including completing the payment on her mother’s car and settling her medical bills [01:05:09]. This isn’t a grand, dramatic gesture; it’s quiet, consistent, and profound loyalty—the ultimate antithesis to Lai’s flashy, self-centered behavior. When Tessy realizes her family has been cared for by the man she publicly despises, the wall she built collapses. Their eventual reconciliation kiss is not just passion; it is the physical release of five years of emotional repression and regret.

Renie’s Victory: The Final Stand for Self-Worth

While Tessy and Sha’s reunion is heartwarming, Renie’s final decision is the film’s true climax and thematic payoff. It delivers the empowerment the audience craves.

The Lamide Incident

The film introduces Lamide, Lai’s brazen ex-girlfriend, who struts into Renie’s home to rub salt in the wound [00:47:50]. This external threat, rather than Lai’s words, provides the necessary shock. When Renie catches Lai and Lamide kissing in the house—the ultimate disrespect—her emotional exhaustion finally burns away, leaving only resolve.

The Eviction

In a moment of glorious cinematic triumph, Renie doesn’t weep or plead. She stands her ground, tells Lai to pack his things, and dramatically kicks him out of the house she paid for [01:08:57]. This scene is vital, showcasing Renie finally prioritizing herself and her child. Her choice to divorce Lai is a bold statement against the societal pressure she admitted she felt to be married before she was 32 [00:57:10]. Her strength is confirmed when she decides to take time off work, go to therapy, and find herself—a beautiful echo of the “Me Before Him” philosophy that Tessy only preached but Renie now lives.

Conclusion: A Must-Watch Masterpiece of Emotional Realism

Never Far Away is more than a movie; it’s a necessary conversation starter. It excels not in its happy endings, but in its honest depiction of two powerful realities: the enduring chance of true love when pride is shed, and the undeniable necessity of leaving abuse when respect is absent.

The film successfully navigates complex emotional territory, supported by outstanding performances that make Lai’s entitlement cringe-inducing and Renie’s quiet suffering truly heartbreaking. The narrative skillfully ties together the two crises, demonstrating that toxicity is often predictable, but healing and second chances are always possible.

If you are looking for a movie that validates your inner voice, confirms that self-worth trumps a wedding certificate, and offers a glimpse into a love that fought through fire and miscommunication, then this is your next watch.

Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars

Don’t just watch it—share it. This is the reality check Nollywood needed to deliver. Go stream Never Far Away today!