Wah-Wah Movie Review 2005

Grant debuts as a writer/director in an autobiographical family story set in Swaziland in the late 1960s on the eve of the African nation's independence from Britain. Young Ralph (Fox) catches his mother Lauren (Richardson) committing adultery. Lauren walks out on the family, and husband/father Harry (Byrne) takes to drink, sending Ralph to boarding school. When the boy returns (now played by Hoult), he discovers his father has suddenly married a brash American, Ruby (Watson). Ruby becomes the teenager's ally, which is a good thing since the ex-pat colony is breaking apart, Harry's drinking makes him violent, and Ralph's mother suddenly decides to return.

Distribution

Not Yet Released

Running time 97 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Africa, Adolescence, Divorce

Screenplay

Richard E. Grant

Cast

Gabriel Byrne, Miranda Richardson, Emily Watson, Julie Walters, Nicholas Hoult, Celia Imrie, Julian Wadham, Fenella Woolger, Sid Mitchell, Zachary Fox

Cinematography

A. Martinez

Director

Richard E. Grant

Music

Patrick Doyle

Other

Dominique Levert, Isabelle Dedieu, Sheena Napier, Gary Williamson

Producer

Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, Pierre Kubel, Jeff Abberley, Scion Films, Loma Nasha Productions, Wah Films Prods.