disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

[TIFF 2020] THE WATER MAN -- A Magical Old-School Adventure

9/23/2020

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Even if a film doesn’t break new narrative ground, it can still be magical if it traverses its familiar beats in a way that is both enjoyable and meaningful. David Oyelowo’s feature debut The Water Man succeeds in doing so, capturing the charm of the adventure movies that defined many a childhood and telling a touching story in the process. 

The movie follows a young boy who, distraught with the suffering of his terminally ill mother, sets out on a quest to find a mythical figure who may be able to heal her. Admittedly, Emma Needell’s script is a tad on the conventional and predictable side, but there is something undeniably delightful about it.

One of the things that makes this film stand out from other recent family adventures is that it isn’t too caught up in delivering big and exciting action sequences. Rather, the emphasis is on the emotional elements that are more endearing. This will appeal to the nostalgia of adult viewers but also catch the imagination of younger audiences.

Thematically, the movie covers some pretty hefty stuff for a modern film. There are a lot of movies aimed at kids about a young protagonist who must grieve the loss of their parent, but few explore how it feels to have that parent slipping away. And in this way, Needell offers a unique approach to familiar ideas.

Young actor Lonnie Chavis is a star in the making, giving a performance that is complex and packed with emotion. He holds his own against the supporting cast filled with acclaimed actors such as Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Maria Bello, and Alfred Molina. His excellent father-son chemistry with Oyelowo is particularly notable.

Oyelowo brings a very colorful and beautiful visual style to his feature debut. It’s an energetic movie with rapid pacing and the dynamism to back it up. Through his world-building and cinematography, Oyelowo draws us into the protagonist’s fantasy world that shares a lot in common with real life but is filled with hope and wonder.

If the film does fall flat in one area, it is that it doesn’t really explore the friendship that forms between the protagonist and his wayward companion. Unfortunately, the female characters here serve mostly as devices to serve the male protagonist’s growth, although a brief subplot does offer some much needed development in this area.

The Water Man is arguably one of the more exciting prospects to come out of this fall’s festival circuit. A fun, old-school adventure with plenty of heart, this is the crowd-pleasing and hopeful movie that audiences need in this time of darkness.

The Water Man screened as a part of the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival which ran September 10-19.

Rating: 4/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About