WATER & GARRI: Film Review

• Release date: May 10 2024
• Directed by: Meji Alabi
• Platform : Amazon Prime Video
• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Tiwa Savage, Andrew Yaw Bunting, Mike Afolarin, Jemima Osunde

Synopsis (no spoilers)

The story follows Aisha, a fashion designer who has returned home to East Side after 10 years away in the US following the death of a family member. She returns to a charged atmosphere on the brink of eruption- everything has changed. Being back home forces her to sit with old wounds, guilt at her self-imposed exile and a former love.

Review

The synopsis sounds good, yeah? However, this movie was heavily criticised on Twitter (X) and when it first came out and I honestly watched it to see what was so bad about it but I was in for a very pleasant surprise. The actors did a good job, it was captured beautifully and it left a continuous smile on my face. Tiwa Savage did a great job playing Aisha- a great job. Andrew Yaw Bunting as Kay was just on point and the supporting actors supported and made the movie gorgeous. Gotta give it up for Jemima Osunde as Stephanny.

You can tell when a movie will get some things right, in the way you know if you like a song from the first few seconds. The movie started well- bit of suspense, Aisha’s voice over filled with quiet emotion, strength and resolve and beautiful cinematography. This movie was shot very well. There are a few LA scenes but the bulk of the movie is shot in the protagonist’s home town which I’m guessing is somewhere in west Africa? (More on that later). The story develops very slowly and the flashbacks help the viewer put the characters in perspective. The character development was artfully done.

The Sequence

The sequence of events that led to Aisha returning home (wherever this home is) was commendably pieced together. Tiwa’s depiction of the different emotions the character is navigating was artfully done. I enjoyed the level of attention to the cinematography and the artistic infusion of colour, beauty, feeling and meaning to everything. There were times when scenes looked like a shot from a high-end music video. The production is tasteful. You also get the sense that what would have been plot holes were explained early on in the movie and I commend the director. The soundtrack was gorgeous. The dialogue was interesting and sometimes captivating. Basically, I did not lose braincells watching this and I will watch it again and again.

The sequence and the plot structure were believable and could be clearly linked by the connector “and so”. I need a plot to make sense and this one did. It’s not the most profound movie or plot in the sense that it will not answer your questions about why we are here on earth or cure your existential crisis but it is a simple story told excellently, authentically and with the most stunning visuals.

A few drawbacks…

There were a few drawbacks I would say and I’ll mention one plot hole. For me the gang rivalry wasn’t quite fleshed out and I just didn’t understand how it ended the way it did. Another scene or 2 to explain the rivalry or something added to Aisha’s voice over would have sorted this.

I’ve heard a lot of criticism about Eastside, the fictional town that is Aisha’s home because the audience doesn’t know where it is except that it’s in West Africa, the use of at least 2 West African languages and the ‘unplaceable’ pidgin. I completely disagree. I love that we don’t know where Eastside is, I love that Eastside is a melting pot of cultures and languages as Aisha explains in the very beginning and this puts this criticism to bed for me. I imagine this is what port cities in Africa should be- beautifully diverse. That’s what I like about the movie- it got my imagination going.

My verdict…

Overall, I did not feel that stones were left unturned at the end of the movie. We got a love story, some gang rivalry, a healthy plot twist and an appropriate ending.

I rate it a solid 7 out of 10.