- Starring
- David Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis
- Writer
- Emma Needell
- Director
- David Oyelowo
- Rating
- n/a
- Running Time
- 92 minutes
- Release Date
- n/a
Overall Score
Rating Summary
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There was once a time where there was a market for family movies that embraced darker themes while using fantasy elements to contrast the more somber aspects of reality. This subgenre thrived in the 1980s, producing cult classics that weren’t afraid to challenge younger audiences and they would often include mild horror elements, acting as a gateway to more mature films. However, it’s rare nowadays that we see films in that vein. That’s not to say that there aren’t any modern family films that explore darker themes, but they have definitely few and far between these past years.
While it’s far from perfect, David Oyelowo’s directorial debut The Water Man is a breath of fresh air in many ways as it’s a family-friendly film that is not afraid to delve into darker territory while utilizing fantasy elements to explore real life tragedy. It’s clear while watching that Oyelowo has fond memories of said 1980s family films, as this offering serves as a love letter to that style of filmmaking.
The Water Man chronicles the adventures of a sensitive and shy young boy named Gunner (Chavis), who is fascinated with writing stories and has a very deep bond with his mother (Dawson), but a difficult relationship with his father Amos (Oyelowo), who was stationed overseas for years and has just recently returned home. When Gunner finds out his mother is suffering with leukaemia, he runs away from home and embarks on a quest to find a local myth known as “The Water Man”, who was known to have cheated death, gaining special healing abilities. On his quest, Gunner enlists the help of a mysterious girl named Jo (Amiah Miller).
The Water Man is a film consumed with nostalgia which proved to be its downfall. While it’s certainly an admirable attempt at crafting a darker and more challenging family film than what the genre recent offerings, the film can’t quite escape the shadow of the classics it’s taking influence from. It follows a fairly standard structure, taking risks from time to time, but due to its restricted budget, it’s never as quite as whimsical as its trying to be. Nevertheless, it’s a generally entertaining and heartfelt film with two strong performances from Chavis and Miller.
Despite its shortcomings, The Water Man is a creative and respectable directorial debut, proving that Oyelowo has talent as a filmmaker and has the potential to craft something special in the future.
still courtesy of TIFF
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