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List Price: $19.94Amazon.com's Price: $17.99 You Save: $1.95 (10%)Prices subject to change.
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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Sony
EAN: 0043396166028
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: Sony Pictures
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Sony Pictures
Region Code: 99
Release Date: November 21, 2006
Running Time: 100 minutes
Sales Rank: 44140
Studio: Sony Pictures
Theatrical Release Date: 2005
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
The story of a young teen coming-of-age in africa at a time of great personal & political turmoil in this dramedy based on actual events. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 04/24/2007 Starring: Emily Watson Julie Waters Run time: 100 minutes Rating: R
Amazon.com:
Gabriel Byre gives a fantastic performance as a 1960's British diplomat in Africa tormented by love, caring for his son and alcohol. Emily Watson pulls out all the stops as his second wife, a fiesty American who breaks tradition at every turn and attempts to bring her step-son out of his introverted shell. She refers to the upper-crust Brit-slang of 'toodle-pip' and 'hobbly-jobbly' as 'Wah Wah', the verbal equivalent of an eye roll. What is so great about this movie is the quality of the cast and the chemistry between them. Intense dynamics exist between the father's alcoholism and his family's attempts to accept it, then cure him of it. Nicholas Hoult, of About A Boy, is the son who struggles with loyalties between his mother, father and step-mother. A wonderful directorial debut by actor Richard E. Grant, making relatable the story of a family that is anything but average, by drawing on the emotion and empathy that's in us all. --Rachel Moss
Product Description Acclaimed actor Richard E. Grant's Wah-Wah is a semi-autobiographical 'coming-of-age at the end of an age' story, told through the eyes of young Ralph Compton. Set during the last gasp of the British Empire in Swaziland, South East Africa, in 1969, the plot focuses on the dysfunctional Compton family whose gradual disintegration mirrors the end of British rule.
As an 11-year-old, Ralph witnesses his mother's adultery with his father's best friend. His parents divorce and Ralph is sent to boarding school. His father, Harry (Gabriel Byrne), not only loses his wife (Miranda Richardson) and best friend, but also his position as Minister of Education with the coming of Independence, prompting his rapid descent into alcoholism.
Now 14, Ralph (Nicholas Hoult) returns home to discover that his father has re-married an American ex-air 'hostess' named Ruby whom his father has known all of six weeks. As round a peg as you could find in this square holed society, Ruby (Emily Watson) ridicules the petty snobbery of the restless colonials whose chief amusements are gin, adultery, and their foppish slang of 'toodle-pip' and 'hobbly-jobbly' ' that Ruby identifies as sounding like Wah-Wah.
Although Ralph is initially wary of Ruby, he bonds with her as his father's drinking escalates and becomes dangerously out of control. It's this chaos that stokes Ralph's inner turmoil, and eventually forges his creative mind.
More Stills from Wah-Wah (click for larger image)
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - No shooting, no violence
Great coming of age tale with superb acting, beautiful scenery and a nice plot that's watchable without being cloying. Definitely worth the time.
Rating: - "A Bloody Masterpiece"
What a bloody masterpiece! All of the parts are played to perfection. I lived that adolescent angst family dynamic and Nicholas Hoult portrays it heroically. Gabriel Byrne is a bloody genius. I especially like the clever way that newsreels of the actual emancipation event were so artistically inserted into the film--beautifully done.
Rating: - Memories from my youth
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 you son in the back seat.
> He gave great ... Read More
Rating: - An excellent film, in every respect
As stated earlier, don't let the gross sales figures (or anything, for that matter) put you off from watching this excellent film. Brilliant acting, lovely intimacy and lush scenery lend to this winner of a film. Others have already done the job of beautifully summarizing it. Do yourself a favor and watch it a few times. You'll be amazed at what you pick up as you go through it. Nicholas Hoult and Gabriel Byrne are simply brilliant.
Rating: - Superb Acting
Richard E. Grant, in his debut film as director, has made a powerful autobiographical film of his traumatic childhood. The film is set in 1969 in the lead-up to Swaziland's independence from Britain.
Seen through the eyes of teenager Ralph (Nicholas Hoult), we see scenes of intense and emotional acting from Gabriel Byrne, Emily Watson, Miranda Richardson and Julie Walters.
The devastating effects that alcoholism has on a family are profoundly poignant in this film. But also ... Read More
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