X
- 2019
- TV-PG
- Netflix
- 1 h 53 m
- 2019
- TV-PG
- Netflix
- 1 h 53 m
Summary Against all the odds, a thirteen year old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine. Based on the best selling book and true story of William Kamkwamba.
Directed By: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Written By: William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer, Chiwetel Ejiofor
- 2019
- TV-PG
- Netflix
- 1 h 53 m
- 2019
- TV-PG
- Netflix
- 1 h 53 m
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
68
7.7
Where to Watch
Summary Against all the odds, a thirteen year old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine. Based on the best selling book and true story of William Kamkwamba.
Directed By: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Written By: William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 21 Critic Reviews
68
71% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
29% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 21 Critic Reviews
68
71% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
29% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
For all these self-effacing but highly valuable reasons, when the triumphs of the human, agricultural and engineering spirits arrive, they work. It’s moving, and it’s earned. Ejiofor is off and running as a director.
Chiwetel Ejiofor has made his debut as writer-director, and the result is exhilarating and rather inspiring – a story of success against the odds, of ingenuity and resourcefulness, of a father and son painfully coming to terms with each other.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 50 User Ratings
7.7
78% Positive
39 Ratings
39 Ratings
20% Mixed
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
2% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 50 User Ratings
7.7
78% Positive
39 Ratings
39 Ratings
20% Mixed
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
2% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Obviously a passion project, but Ejiofor keeps his film grounded in reality and avoids histrionics. And even though the plot is predictable from the get-go, the cast in uniformly good, and it’s hard not to be moved when William’s water-pumping invention carries the day. His story is one that’s worth telling.
This earnest tale succeeds thanks to its potent themes — including the tension between old traditions and new ways of thinking — and Ejiofor locates the story’s emotional underpinnings without succumbing to cheap manipulation or mawkishness.
Ejiofor’s movie teases and never lets us forget exactly where it’s heading. And it uses an almost unforgivable amount of its running time taking us where we know it is going.
While it takes a few dramatic liberties and could have benefited from a tighter edit, there’s a swell of goodwill as the story progresses that is hard to resist.
To commend The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is reasonably easy. Here’s a film that’s pro-science, and sheds new light on a world that Western audiences don’t normally see. But it’s all so dramatically meager and obvious as well.
It’s been a long time since I saw a movie that testified to the human spirit. This piece of amazing cinema, directed by the multi-talented Chiwetel Ejiofor, is full of searing heart wrenching performances. You see a father desperate to save his family, despite his inherent lack of imagination and skills. You see a mother trying to keep a brave face after a lifetime of disappointment. You see a sister struggling between her own dreams and her duty to family. And of course our real-life real-world hero, you see a young boy daring to dream big beyond his own limits and the chains of his existence. What an inspiring story of applying science and technology to improve one’s miserable existence. The solution explored in the film seems like the simplest thing, but the courage to implement it is the real story here. So many people have their destiny in their hands, and instead of being merciless under the foot of corrupt governments, they can seize their future. A must see movie based on an inspiring true story. One of my favorites this year.
Report
Really good movie and shows the reality of many poorer countries and how much they are dependent on agriculture sector. Emotional movie but with a good premise and actually based on real facts. Makes you think about what happenning in the world and how we need to give more attention to others not only think about ourselves or our own countries
Report
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
Report
The boy who harnessed the wind on a film making perspective is a great stride for any director yet the story line moves so slowly that the film gets tiring. It involves lots op posing and visual tricks but not a clear and condensed plot. The film brings so many themes to the table such as cultural, environmental, government corruption, innovation, science, love, family and freindship. It is a fresh movie but is missing some crucial story building and fast paced storytelling.
Report
True stories which are lovingly made can produce positive or even inspirational films like this one. It felt a little too melodramatic at times but the beautiful cinematography and assured performances of the entire cast left a positive feeling overall. The world would be a better place with more kids like William.
Report
Production Company
BBC Film,
BFI Film Fund,
Blue Sky Films,
Head Gear Films,
LipSync Post,
Metrol Technology,
Participant,
Potboiler Productions
Release Date Mar 1, 2019
Duration 1 h 53 m
Rating TV-PG
Tagline Based on the Incredible True Story
Website
https://www.netflix.com/
Awards
British Independent Film Awards
• 3 Nominations
Black Reel Awards
• 2 Nominations
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
