Director
Richard E. Grant
Cast
Gabriel Byrne”¦”¦”¦Harry Compton
Miranda Richardson”¦”¦”¦Lauren Compton
Nicholas Hoult”¦”¦”¦Ralph Compton
Emily Watson”¦”¦”¦Ruby Compton
Julie Walters”¦”¦”¦Gwen Traherne
DVD Release Date: November 21, 2006
Rating: R
Running Time: 100 Minutes
The Movie
Children can be easily influenced and affected by what goes in front of them at school, in the movies, on the street, and most of all in their own families. So when your father is a drunk, your mother committed adultery in front of you, and your step mother is trying desperately to fit in with the upper-class”¦you’re bound to be more screwed up then influenced.
Richard E. Grant narrates this depiction of his life from his parent’s divorce when he was 12 to the age of 14. It is set in the late 60’s as South African country Swaziland is gaining it’s independence from Great Britain. Through all of this, Ralph (Grant’s alter-ego in this story) is having to deal with his parent’s divorce, his fathe’s remarrying, and his mother showing back up into the picture.
Ralph never could quite let go of his mother, no matter the fact that she committed the adultery in the front seat of a car as he “slept” in the backseat. Embarrassed by the whole situation, Ralp’s father Harry turns to the bottle and ends up becoming an alcoholic. Ralp’s step-mother Ruby is finding it difficult, but still wanting to fit in with the snooty crowd yet she continues to wonder what the big deal is about them.
Sounds a bit confusing? Well, it really is. The film has so many small sub-plots that it’s really quite difficult to keep one main focus on anything. Ruby is trying to become “hoity-toity.” Harry is an alcoholic who doesn’t know if he is coming or going. Lauren is back and trying to cause commotion. Ralph is trying to deal with the entire situation. And then there’s the independence of a country that anyone watching this film couldn’t really give a damn about. Oh wait, did I forget to mention that the snooty boots are putting on a musical production of Camelot for the visiting Princess Margaret who is coming to grant their freedom? Yeah, that’s happening too.
There are some funny moments and some interesting stories there, but not enough to keep you focused long enough to become interesting. Emily Watson delivers some fantastic side lines that had me laughing a good bit. And Gabriel Byrne plays a wonderful drunk. But it all boils down to the same story we’ve seen over and over again with a child being traumatized, or just confused, by a messy divorce. Wah-Wah just decided to throw a lot more into it.
The Video
The film is seen in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The movie looks great and has some wonderful scenery. The colors are extremely bright and vibrant giving a very feel good emotion to the whole film.
The Audio
The film is heard in Dolby Digital 5.0 and sounds just fine.
Special Features
Trailers
The Inside Pulse
A DVD containing a confusing film and jam-packed with”¦really no special features, there’s not much to go on to have me suggest you run out and buy it. If you’re looking for a funny movie about a mixed-up family dealing with every aspect of life all at one time, then Wah-Wah is your film. But I’d still suggest just a rental first.
