I admired the movie and was happy to see it but can think of two other films about whites in Africa that do a better job of seeing their roles.
Overview
Set at the end of the 1960s, as Swaziland is about to receive independence from United Kingdom, the film follows the young Ralph Compton, at 12, through his parents' traumatic separation, till he's 14.
Director and cast
- Richard E. Grant Director
- Gabriel Byrne as Harry Compton
- Emily Watson as Ruby Compton
- Julie Walters as Gwen Traherne
- Nicholas Hoult as Ralph Compton - 14 years
- Miranda Richardson as Lauren Compton
- Celia Imrie as Lady Riva Hardwick
- Zac Fox as Ralph Compton - 11 years
- Julian Wadham as Charles Bingham
- Fenella Woolgar as June Broughton
- John Matshikiza as Dr. Zim Mzimba
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
Watching it is like trying to assemble a puzzle that's missing pieces: You can see the outline of a story, and some shapes fit neatly together, but there are undeniable holes.
Deftly balancing the end of British colonialism in Africa against a family's painful disintegration, Wah-Wah marks the impressive directing debut of Richard E. Grant.
The actors give it a spark, and Grant directs his fine cast with sureness.
What is understandably a subject of great fascination to [Grant] soon becomes a crashing bore to us.
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