Wah-Wah [DVD]

This film was a real delight, from start to finish. Its both funny and sad, in parts. Gabriel Byrne was magnificent, as was Celiia Imrie, Nicholas Hoult and even Julie Walters . I definitely recommend, but also to because it is based on Richard Grant's life. I don't think anyone could have directed this movie other than Richard Grant

Although this film has been out and about for several years, for some reason it had never crossed my horizons! The title was intriguing and the film's cast of well established, excellent actors, and direction by Richard E Grant, encouraged me to give it the once over. It is a very warm, sad, humorous and poignant film and I've had several 'once overs' since my first viewing. The movie is about middleclass British ex-pats well set into a comfortable life in late 1960s pre-independence Swaziland ( a small land-locked colonial outpost in Southern Africa ). How this group of people deal with alcoholism, family life and general interaction between eachother, and most importantly, the oncoming independence of this country, is what the movie is all about. This is a very entertaining and moving hour and a half; you may well need a hankie to hand! Also adding to the pleasure is Swaziland itself, it is a remarkably beautiful country. We should see more of it! The flash, bang, wallop brigade of movie watchers will not enjoy this film but those with a more sensitive view of life certainly will!

A wonderful cast, a moving story. I do think that this might have been more commercially successful if it had a more catching name. I would also recommend Richard E Grant's book on the production 'The Wah Wah Diaries'.

I looked forward to this dvd as i had enjoyed richard e grants work, and purchased this dvd on the strenght of this.it had the potentional to be a great story but the chance was lost i feel. i still enjoyed the look back to the colonial times and seeing the privlaged lifestyle that they enjoyed.however i give it three star and the actors tried hard with a poor script.

I thought this film was the most absorbing, sad and funny film I have watched for a long long time - very sensitively done and portraying family life in the "raw" ... full of emotion and a flash back to a time when life was lived in such a simple behind doors way - a reminder of part of a history which must never be allowed to happen ever again. A marvelous first film produced by the multi-talented and fabulous Richard E Grant. A must-see film for all Richard's many fans plus everyone else of course. Great acting by all the actors involved and all expertly directed by Richard. If you read the Wah Wah diaries you will see how 6 years of Richard's life was taken up in the making of it. Joan R

This film was a revelation. I knew that Richard E.Grant is talented, but this film pushed him straight up to the top. The actors he chose were just incredible, everyone of them, the settings were perfect. A very strong story, an autobiography told with so much love in spite of the pain he suffered as a youth, but told with such a sense of humour I highly recommend that you also watch after you see the film "The making of it", it is a plus. I can't understand why it didn't reach the cinemas, or if it did wasn't noticeable. Richard E.Grant should have received an award for this movie. Can't praise it enough, I can only say go and buy it and you'll see what I mean.

Delivery as promised. DVD as described. Film itself was rubbish and I was bitterly disappointed especially with such actresses I didn't like the language

A beautiful and quaint view of life how it was in pre-independent Swaziland. I can vouch for this as I grew up in the same era and went to the same school as Richard in Swaziland. Swaziland, the Switzerland of Africa (without the snow!) is a must see country for those visiting South Africa, just 4 hours drive from Jo'burg with some great hotels and wildlife sanctuaries. Just a slight pity that the film was on a low budget so did not include any "about town" scenes but some wonderful acting.

A good, modest movie, insightful and a reasonable mirror of its time and place, 1960s Swaziland. To see it as a metaphor for the change in all of sub-Saharan Africa is over-egging the pudding, however. The alcoholism scenes are well-observed. Would make a good double bill with WHITE MISCHIEF, but not CRY FREEDOM . As a first-time director's effort, it is very creditable.

And to think that it was both written and directed by the British-Swazi actor, Richard E. Grant. It completely blows my mind! He's been a favorite of mine since he starred as Jack (the unintentionally inept, first time around father) in 1995's British romantic comedy, "Jack and Sarah."Since then I've come to know him as the well-intentioned, although domineering girl-group manager in 1997's "Spiceworld: The Movie," the stern but benevolent vampire patriarch in 2000's "The Little Vampire," the voice behind the murderous gold-digging villain in Tim Burton's animated "Corpse Bride," and the patsy to Sir Ian McKellen's Great Intelligence in "The Snowmen" Christmas special episode (of the 7th series) of the British science-fiction television series, "Doctor Who."I knew he was a great actor, but I had no idea of his talent for writing and directing. "Wah-Wah" is a brilliantly written and directed coming-of-age film about a young boy named, Ralph and his childhood in Swaziland during the last days of the British Empire in Africa in the 1960s. It could easily be said that Ralph's particular upbringing is just as turbulent and creative as the decade he was growing up in.The talented young British actor, Nicholas Hoult ("About A Boy", "Skins" (series 1 & 2), "X-Men: First Class") stars in the lead role and has an incredible supporting cast in the form of veteran film greats: Gabriel Byrne, Miranda Richardson, Julie Walters and Emily Watson.***And just in case that wasn't enough, you'll be sure to get a kick out of the fact that the film is actually a semi-autobiographical account of Grant's own childhood experiences.

strange as it is the movie minimizes some of the events

I was born in Swaziland in 1968 (the year of independence depicted in the film) and lived there for 10 years. My parents obviously remember more than I do but I can vouch for the accuracy of the movie: > The infidelity was indemic - although my mom is adamant the father was a much worse than the mother (who according to her had just the one dalliance and ended up marrying the guy). But you have to admit it was pretty dumb to fool around with your son in the back seat. > He gave great puppet shows, he was a regular attraction at kids birthday parties, including my own. I guess the beginnings of his Directing talents... > It is a beautiful country, although run down in the last decade or two through poor leadership after the old king died.Richard is a talented and engaging actor who has a bit of a cult following mostly off the back of "Withnail and I" but he has done a great job as a Director, getting strong performances out of a talented cast.

This is a weird movie peopled with fascinating characters, well-acted but a bit more disturbing than entertaining. Set against transitional British Africa in the 60's, the story revolves around a series of flawed Brits whose personal changes are as challenging as the political clime around them. Gabriel Byrne is an alcoholic, highly-regarded military man whose hoity-toity wife (Miranda Richardson) dumps him for another man, pushing him emotionally over the edge. Affected by this is their son, effectively played by Nicholas Hoult, who grows from an emotionally-challenged child to a tempestuous teenager. The ex-wife heartlessly weaves in and out of their lives purely at her convenience, upsetting the delicate balance between Byrne and his hastily-chosen American ex-stewardess wife, sympathetically played by Emily Watson. An eccentric study of human emotions, "Wah-Wah" is a well-made film cursed with a terrible title.