I believe The Sweetest Taboo by Sade is one of the greatest songs ever written and Sade Adu is one of the greatest performers of all time.
I love Sade, and last week I saw a movie that reminded me of the group. In a very strange way, watching Tides, I couldn’t help but wonder whether the director and writers had the group in mind.
Directed by Reuben Odanga and produced by Multan Production, Tides is a musical romance drama set on the Kenyan coast. It follows Salma (Sarah Hassan) and Biko (Brian Kabugi), a struggling musician couple trying to balance love, ambition, and the crushing reality of poverty while caring for their ill daughter.
Alongside them is Minnie Kariuki (Brenda) the sister and Morgan (Dumisani Mbebe), a worldly character whose presence complicates the family’s journey. The film blends family drama with music, and while it doesn’t always succeed, it offers some intense character moments and drama.
There’s a balance between experienced younger actors and more mature performers in this film that gives the story a sense of depth. Sarah Hassan is great as Salma, especially in her musical performances, where her costumes and stage presence elevate the character, she is good in this, though I still maintain we need a role that pushes her further. Kabugi’s Biko in writing is flawed, but his performance gives the character the edge, and though his arc feels rushed in places, he remains compelling.
Mbebe’s Morgan has the look and I was glad that, in the writing and perfomance, they avoid stereotypes and delivers a grounded, polished character who feels authentic to the world rather than defined by nationality, in simple terms, amapiano doesn’t play when he first appears. Even when flashes of his South African roots slip through, it is appropriately applied within the context of the story and moment.
Minne Kariuki adds the necessary contrast that is needed to drive Salma’s arc, even though she has her own spicy run in the story, though I thought the writing could have taken her further. I thought Sikukuu Hamisi Jumaa gives the most realistic performance in the film, as she has an authentic coastal touch that grounds and creates a realistic coastal family feel to a lot of her scenes.
The casting of Biko’s parents was perfect, its one of those moments you will need to see for yourself.
There are also other surprise cameos in the film that I will not spoil.
Music and storytelling
The music is the heartbeat of Tides. Composed by Silayio, the soundtrack is filled with original songs that are not only memorable but also interwoven into the narrative. At one point, lyrics align perfectly with the drama, creating a layered storytelling moment.
Some tracks are so well-timed emotionally that they could stand as a standalone music video, one incredible song in particular, the cinematography, the costume, the tone, and the performances just come together perfectly to deliver a fantastic experience.
Drama and universe
The film exists within Reuben Odanga’s growing cinematic universe, with nods to Mo-Faya and Nafsi popping up in posters and background details. That means the film also follows Odanga’s storytelling style that exploits the complexity of human relationships with melodrama as the story’s driving force, tackling the globally recognisable theme of love in the face of adversity.
Basically, fans of telenovelas or his work like Nafsi and Lazizi will recognise the approach. He likes to push characters to the edge, it looks like (like Jeremy Clarkson) he asks himself, ‘what could possibly go wrong with this character?’ and then proceeds to take the character there. But at the end of the day, each character’s motivation is clear, even if some twists and the drama feels forced or unresolved. It is always clear why the characters are doing what they are doing.
The cinematography gives the film a polished look and feel, with beautiful close-ups and stage shots, this despite the fact that I don’t think they fully utilise the coast as their location with the exterior shots. I expected more wide shots capturing a unique look at the coast.
The premises are never disorienting, with a clever blending of interior and exterior shots that make locations feel seamless. As a result, as the viewer, you never feel lost or out of place.
The movie also benefits from strong appropriate costume design, with characters costumes matching their status. Hassan’s outfits and makeup move from poor to striking depending on the scene, Minnie’s makeup is bold, with a good reason for that and Morgan’s wardrobe adds subtle detail to his character.
There is a sensibility to environmental noises, wind on a boat, crowds outside, that adds realism to the world. At times, crowd noise feels mismatched, but overall the soundscape enhances immersion.
There’s product placement for one brand that makes logical sense, as it is the go-to drink for foreigners when they want a taste of the country. I hope the production team got paid for that.
Gripes
Character arcs, especially Biko’s and Salma’s, feel rushed. Quiet moments that could have added emotional weight are missing. Salma, for instance, makes drastic decisions without a moment of reflection, alone beforehand, that would have made her decisions more powerful. An example is her third-act decision, which I thought could have benefited from a minute with her on the beach alone as she thinks, so as to allow the audience to sit with her issues and process them.
The film editing and pacing often prioritises moving the story forward over letting us live with the characters. And that comes out clearly in the third act when some decisions feel abrupt.
This leaves performances strong but undercut by the lack of space to breathe. The abundance of characters and subplots also makes the film feel like it was originally conceived as a series rather than a feature. There’s simply too much left unexplored and you can’t shake off the feeling a lot was left on the editing floor.
Back to Sade: the band as a whole at the centre of the story is underdeveloped. They lack a clear collective goal, which weakens what is meant to be a pivotal moment in the third act. Had they been given a shared vision, their journey would have felt richer than what is presented.
This may not be an issue to a lot of people, but I thought the structure and some story elements were, one would call it accessible, familiar. I would call it generic, simple, safe.
The elephant in the room
For me, a small but divisive element is a hospital scene involving the daughter’s illness and current policical agendas. It introduces a simple and quick statement that feels heavy-handed and dilutes the emotional core of the story. For me, it made the whole film feel like a piece of propaganda rather than art.
Instead of challenging , balancing perspectives, or having that in the background, treat it like an afterthought, the moment felt like it froze or built everything around the daughter to deliver or lead to that one message. This overshadowed the child’s storyline and undermined the film’s integrity.
Other creative issues, the title card looks good design-wise, but the black background and lack of animation doesn’t work. A more creative integration of the beach and wave motif that are repeated throughout the film could have been a better background. The credits at the end look unpolished and fail to match the cinematic ambition of the film. It’s the coast, so would people call the love of their lives ‘babe’ or ‘mpenzi’?
Morgan’s reason for the visit should have remained a mystery up until things started to get complicated.
I also thought Tides should have been the name of the band.
Final thoughts
I loved the music, admired the performances across the board, and appreciated Odanga’s ambition. Yet that one political moment stripped the film of its value. But that’s just me, the film offers plenty to enjoy. The twist, the drama and music come together to give a unique coastal experience.