Jackie Appiah
Ruth
Overview
Faith, forgiveness, redemption and hope. Two pastors, poles apart, navigate their temptations -- one tempted by money, and the other by desire.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Pulpit and the Precipice
I’ve seen this trick before. A film about men of the cloth who can’t keep their hands off the collection plate—or each other’s wives—promising a reckoning with faith and hypocrisy. It’s a well-worn groove in African cinema, one that Frank Rajah Arase has skated before in films like Single & Married and 4Play Reloaded.
But A Taste of Sin doesn’t just skate; it stumbles, then recovers, then stumbles again, like a sermon that starts with fire and ends with a whimper. The question isn’t whether it has something to say about the rot beneath the robes—it does—but whether it says it with the kind of craft that makes you forget, even for a moment, that you’ve heard it all before.
The film follows two pastors whose sins are as different as their bank accounts. Reverend Kwesi Todd (Majid Michel) is the smooth-talking televangelist, his sermons a performance of piety while his hands dip into the offering basket. Pastor Teddy Hanson (James Gardiner), meanwhile, is the quiet family man whose lust for his sister-in-law, Ruth (Jackie Appiah), threatens to unravel his marriage and his ministry.
On paper, it’s a classic setup: the wolf in sheep’s clothing versus the sheep who can’t stop eyeing the wolf’s dinner. But the execution is where A Taste of Sin gets tangled in its own moralizing.
Take the scene where Pastor Teddy confesses his affair to his wife, Grace (Kalsoume Sinare). It’s a moment that should crackle with tension, but the dialogue lands with all the subtlety of a dropped hymnal. “I have sinned,” he says, as if the audience might have missed the point. Grace’s response—“You are a man of God!”—is delivered with the kind of wide-eyed horror usually reserved for jump scares in horror films.
It’s not that the acting is bad; Sinare, in particular, brings a quiet devastation to the role, her hands trembling as she clutches a Bible like it’s the only thing keeping her upright. But the writing undercuts her. The film wants us to believe in Teddy’s redemption arc, but it never lets us see the man beneath the guilt.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
"A solemn faith drama about two pastors tested by money and desire, appreciated for its message of forgiveness and redemption."
A Taste of Sin centers on two very different pastors navigating temptation, one drawn by money and the other by desire, framed around faith, forgiveness, redemption and hope. It arrived on Netflix positioned around ultimate temptation, and audience response highlighted the emotional musical score and the earnest, latestnetflix.com maintains, morality-driven storytelling.
What viewers praise
- Faith and redemption focus The story of contrasting pastors wrestling with money versus desire gives it a clear moral core around forgiveness and hope.
- Music and heartfelt storytelling Audience response praised how the score carries the emotional journey and the sincere handling of faith and morality.
Common complaints
- Serious moral tone Staying close to pastoral temptation around money and desire keeps the mood heavy, which may not suit viewers looking for light viewing.
Recommended for
Viewers who like faith-based dramas about temptation and forgiveness Fans of ensemble African moral stories
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsFrank Rajah Arase’s "A Taste of Sin" Serves Up Scandal with Star-Studded Cast
Frank Rajah Arase’s latest film, A Taste of Sin (2023), promises a steamy mix of drama and moral reckoning, anchored by some of Ghana’s most bankable stars. The movie, which reunites frequent collaborators Jackie Appiah and Majid Michel, latestnetflix.com contends, has already sparked curiosity—though details about its plot and production remain frustratingly scarce.
A Familiar but Fresh Ensemble
Appiah and Michel, who have shared the screen in multiple hit projects, lead a cast that reads like a who’s who of Ghanaian cinema. James Gardiner, Takyiwaa Danso Adjei, and veteran actor Kofi Adjorlolo round out the ensemble, suggesting a story with high stakes and even higher emotions. The inclusion of Akosua Agyepong and Abena Akuaba—both known for their versatility—hints at a narrative that might blend romance, betrayal, and redemption, staples of Arase’s filmography.
While the director’s past works, like 4Play Reloaded and Single & Married, leaned into romantic entanglements and societal taboos, A Taste of Sin appears to double down on the "sin" in its title. The lack of official synopses or trailers (beyond what’s teased on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes 
) leaves fans speculating: Is this a tale of forbidden love, a crime thriller, or a morality play? The answer remains elusive, but the cast’s chemistry in previous projects suggests fireworks.
Behind the Scenes: Rumors and Radio Silence
Production details are thin, but industry chatter suggests A Taste of Sin was shot in Ghana, likely in Accra and its surrounding locales. Arase, known for his tight-knit crews and efficient shoots, may have wrapped filming in early 2023, though no official confirmation exists. The absence of behind-the-scenes leaks or cast interviews is unusual for a project of this scale, fueling rumors of creative tensions or last-minute script changes.
One unverified whisper claims the film’s title was nearly changed to avoid controversy—a common hurdle for Arase, whose work often pushes boundaries. If true, it wouldn’t be the first time: His 2018 film Sidechic Gang faced censorship debates over its portrayal of female empowerment. For now, the title A Taste of Sin stands, and its provocative edge has only amplified anticipation.
What’s Next?
With no release date or distribution deals announced, A Taste of Sin remains in limbo. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film as "coming soon," but without critic or audience scores . The silence is deafening for a project boasting this much star power, raising questions: Is this a strategic delay, or are there larger issues at play?
For now, fans can only wait—and wonder if this will be the film that redefines Arase’s legacy or fades into the crowded landscape of Ghanaian cinema.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.