Queen of Katwe
Queen of Katweis a heavy-handed variation of the Disney inspirational sports drama formula, but a sincere and well-meaning one too.
Queen of Katwetells the true story of Phiona Mutesi ( Madina Nalwanga ) - who as a young girl grow up in Katwe , an impoverished realm of Kampala , Uganda ’s capital city . 10 - yr old Phiona spends her days trade maize and help her family , admit her sib and exclusive mother Nakku Harriet ( Lupita Nyong’o ) . However , Phiona ’s macrocosm is perpetually transfer when she cross route with Robert Katende ( David Oyelowo ) , a well - school man serving as a missionary who coach soccer ( being a talented player himself ) and teaches local children how to toy chess .
Phiona proves to have a natural aptitude for chess and , thanks to her enthrallment with ( and conclusion to master ) the secret plan , soon develop into one of the honorable player under Robert ’s tutelage . Robert , recognizing the opportunities that he can help make useable to them , commence taking his scholarly person to chess competition - where a number of them ( including Phiona ) boom - and need steps to provide them with extra schooling , in other to further improve their caliber of life . Although Phiona continues to succeed and evolve as a chess game player , her gains stop up cause friction between her and her female parent - as Nakku knows all too well that one trip ( or in Phiona ’s case , lose a game ) is all that it take to shatter the dreams of someone from Katwe .
Walt Disney Pictures has a farseeing track phonograph recording of turning real - life competitive sports stories into formulaic , yet endearing , inspirational and family line - friendly dramas - picture likeMiracle , The RookieandInvincibleamong them . The Mouse House and acclaimed theatre director Mira Nair ( Monsoon Wedding , The Namesake ) make for another real - life story to the big screen in that tradition withQueen of Katwe , a picture that should please those who are in the modality for a right uplifting moviegoing experience - even one that falls well light of being a mold - breaker for its Italian sandwich - musical genre . Nair , as a director , does succeed in delivering touching familial play as well as sorcerous reference moment throughoutQueen of Katwe ; yet at the same meter , serve up a story full of metaphor and dialogue that incline to be on the olfactory organ , even by the standards of the Disney inspirational play brand .
Nair and screenwriter William Wheeler ( The Hoax , The Reluctant Fundamentalist ) attractor here from Tim Crothers ' ESPN magazine article - turn biographical book , titledThe Queen of Katwe : A history of Life , Chess , and One Extraordinary Girl ’s pipe dream of Becoming a Grandmaster- something that explains why this cheat drama has a social organization that brings to heed many a picture about aphysically - private-enterprise sports before it . Like last year ’s Disney - releasedMcFarland , USA , Queen of Katwebetter differentiates itself from its predecessors by focus more on the plight of its under - privileged protagonist(s ) and never fall back sight of the fact that for them , the stakes go beyond only winning or lose . However , the rigor and challenge facing the leads inQueen of Katweare present in a by - the - numbers way , make most of them to come off as being more artificial and less impactful than intended .
The way in whichQueen of Katweframes Phiona ’s story also makes it difficult to debar mental rejection ( even in - the - bit during the chess games ) and doubt that she will ultimately exuberate ; fortunately though , the film is more successful ( and , at times , moreinterested ) in creating a rich good sense of place and acculturation . Nair and director of photography Sean Bobbitt ( 12 year a Slave ) espouse a curt ocular style and expressive color palette to snap the moving-picture show ’s Ugandan setting in a style that make its feel unfeignedly alive and bustling on the big screen - highlight visually - striking locations around the actual Katwe ( as well as Johannesburg , South Africa , in certain scenes ) so as to better set the tone of the narration at any given moment . fagot of Katwedoes right by the hoi polloi of Katwe with its representation of their home and day-by-day way of living , even if it does so through the lens of a paint - by - phone number storyline .
Newcomer Madina Nalwanga beam in the part of Phiona Mutesi , competently capturing the character ’s quiet determination and intelligence service without even losing great deal of her vulnerability - stemming from her own awareness that get ahead means much more than getting to call herself champion . Mutesi also has a nice chemistry with her costars David Oyelowo and the Oscar - deliver the goods Lupita Nyong’o , the latter of whom does potent work of her own in the purpose of Phiona ’s independent and humans - weary female parent , Nakku Harriet . That being said , Nakku ’s news report thread ends up being the least effective among the film ’s three main lead - often answer to refine things and/or to render obstruction for Phiona to overcome in a personal manner that do n’t always come up organically from the legal proceeding .
While there ’s never really any doubt as to where Robert Katende ’s character reference discharge will go inQueen of Katwe , Oyelowo adds another great performance to his belt here - paint Robert as a compassionate teacher and openhearted father - figure to his student , while at the same time acknowledging that the character ’s ambitions and work ethic can be a double - edged sword . Robert ’s interactions with his students are fun and often fee as natural as the young actors who are playing them , specially in the case of Ethan Nazario Lubega as Benjamin . Other supporting characters ( like Robert ’s wife Sara , played by Esther Tebandeke ) are played well , but also tend to be either painted in excessively broad strokes ( see the snobby upper - division school attendants and students ) or , in the case of the story screw thread that involves Phiona ’s sister Night ( Taryn Kyaze ) , largely there to perplex thing .
fagot of Katweshould be most sympathetic to those filmgoers in search of intoxicate amusement that the whole family can enjoy , all the more so because it showcases multitude , plaza and culture that are far from typical for mainstream Hollywood studio fare . pouf of Katweis a weighty - handed pas seul of the Disney inspirational sports play rule , but a sincere and well - meaning one too . Because of its earnest nature , those who are intrigued by the premise of the picture alone may find themselves more forgiving of its shortcoming , as well as appreciative of the ways in which Nair and her collaboratorsdomanage to distinguish their increase to Disney ’s " based on a true story " collection from the rest of the ( growing ) nap .
TRAILER
Queen of Katweis now playing in U.S. theatre across the country . It is 124 minute long and is Rated PG for thematic factor , an accident scene and some revelatory fabric .
An uplift biographic dramatic play that travel along the unbelievable journey of Phiona Mutesi , a young young woman from the slums of Katwe , Uganda . When Phiona discovers her sinful endowment for chess through a local missionary and autobus , Robert Katende , her life takes an unexpected turn . Despite the immense challenge sit by poorness and social norm , Phiona ’s inscription and natural skill propel her to national and international Bromus secalinus tournament .
Madina Nalwanga and David Oyelowo in Queen of Katwe
Madina Nalwanga and David Oyelowo in Queen of Katwe
