Julien Neaves – Editor
Those wonderful folks at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival are at it again with their Watch A Movie On Us free online screenings. The films are being shared over eight weekends and this weekend they premiered 2008 Bahamian drama Rain directed by Maria Govan (Play the Devil).
Rain is the story of the eponymous teenager (Renel Brown) who has to leave her idyllic island home when her grandmother dies and go to live in a two-bedroom shack in Nassau with her estranged, drug addict mother Glory (Nicki Micheaux). But she finds peace in her love for running and hope in kind track coach Miss Adams (the incomparable CCH Pounder).
Govan does a commendable job in this coming-of-age tale. The performances by the three female leads are all very well done, especially from Brown. There is a light touch to her performance that feels very authentic. Micheaux brings humanity and evokes sympathy with her troubled character and Pounder, a veteran Hollywood actress, infuses each scene she is in with energy and heart. There are a few so-so performances by some of the supporting cast but they do not last long enough to do that much damage.
Returning to highlights there are some gorgeously framed shots, usually with Rain as the central focus, while the soundtrack is a lively Caribbean cruise for the ears. The production is also quite polished and belies the US $1 million dollar budget. The plot is nothing ground breaking (you will recognise some cliches) but the strong cast helps to lift the proceedings. And yeah, I cried a couple of man tears. I ain’t shame to say it.
Rating: 8 out of 10
If you are in the Caribbean you can watch the film for free TODAY ONLY at this link or you can purchase the DVD here.
Fo another film by Maria Govan you can check out my review of Play The Devil here.