'The Water Man' is another coming-of-age tale, with the Oprah seal of approval
CNN
"The Water Man" arrives with the coveted Oprah Winfrey seal of approval, marking the directing debut of David Oyelowo, who also co-stars. Yet this coming-of-age movie is a very small-boned family movie, one that charitably would perhaps work best for older kids, in what feels like a too-lengthy trek to reach its well-intentioned message.
The film's centerpiece is Lonnie Chavis, who plays the younger Sterling K. Brown (one of the versions of him, anyway) on "This is Us." Here, he's cast as Gunner Boone, a boy whose mother (Rosario Dawson) is battling cancer and whose somewhat-distant father (Oyelowo) has come home after being stationed abroad. Alarmed to see mom's condition worsening, Gunner begins frantically researching leukemia, and also learns of a local myth (or not) about the Water Man, a supernatural figure who legendarily has the power to bring people and animals back to life. Told by a believer (Alfred Molina) that the spectral presence resides in the woods, Gunner a little too naively embarks on a trip to find him, accompanied by a local girl (Amiah Miller) who seems mostly interested in getting her hands on his savings.More Related News