Nanny

The movie captivated me through beginning to about 2/3 through. Its well acted and filmed. I was expecting horror and all that comes with it. It has some of the beginnings of it: strange visions or possibly the character's' imagination- director leaves the answer unclear. Some mystical, African, supernatural myths. It also showcases the plight of hardworking immigrants and the struggles that come with being undocumented, plus the elitist, self-serving duplicitous nature of a Manhattan-based , socially sympathetic WASP couple posing as being caring, activist-oriented, and racially blind. Aahh! That may have been thee horror part, but I say it's simply drama focusing on the the great social divide. The end really leaves the audience with a lot of new and old questions. But no answers- perhaps that's purposeful. The big picture of the ending is clear enough but left me feeling cheated - very much like the main character. Wrapped up better, this could easily been a highly recommended drama (IMDB 6, 7 maybe 8), or even a horror movie . But it's simply a mostly, watchable film.

The truth about this movie is that it was well written, well cast, and well acted. So what's the problem right?... the ending. I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't seen it but I liked this movie all the way until the last 2 minutes. Maybe I'm being harsh but I just didn't understand why they went that route. Like I say in every review, you should judge for yourself. Every interpretation is different and unique to that viewer. My interpretation is that they ruined a pretty good movie with that ending. AND they swept my legs out from under me too. It's unfortunate. I really wanted to like it.

Nikyatu Jusu's debut boasts a distinct visual style that works in its favor. While the writing in the final act and the predictable twist leave much to be desired, Nanny never falls short of engaging. It is led by a committed Anna Diop performance, and significantly aided by the sharp commentary on migrant issues, trauma, and African folklore. While Aisha (Diop) is well-written and performed, the other characters are found wanting. I thought Michelle Monaghan's character had a lot more to contribute to the story than just being a burnt-out, rich mommy. Turns out, the plot was simpler than you believed it to be. The truth about Aisha's son is something anyone can anticipate mid-way into the film, and it doesn't startle at all. Neither does the "Mami Wata" aspect acquire a more wholesome shape.

But, in essence, the film also gets some little details right. There's the banter between Aisha and Malik that's always interesting to listen to. We also get quick "life updates" whenever Aisha visits her regular money transfer service. I also liked how the intensity (and duration) of Aisha's nightmarish visions escalated each time. The film also duly acknowledges the struggles of nannies including not being paid on time and also, frequently overworking them. It's just that Jusu presents a lot of promising elements in the film, but they don't all come together as spectacularly as I'd have liked. But whatever shes does next will be exciting to keep an eye on!

I do understand why so many folks gave this film low scores. If you are a horror fan such as I and have seen the trailer bait which looked like a horror movie, you might feel cheated to find out that this is not even remotely a horror movie. Perhaps, it is deserving that the film receives low scores.

On the other hand, if you are also a fan of the 'drama' genre and watch the film from that perspective, you will enjoy it.

I do not know who decides to interpolate the genres a film carries within the description, are they IMDb people or Amazon people or whatever but the film, the script and the acting do not pretend to be a horror movie for sure. Therefore I do not blame the film itself for the false tag of horror.

The movie is the melodramatic life of the new immigrant to NYC, a Senegalese woman who works for a rich family as a nanny and takes care of their young daughter whilst trying to save enough money to have her 7 years old son to move in with her to the states. She is struggling with missing her son and working long hours for a family who demands a lot yet does not pay for all of her hours. And the longer it takes them to pay for her work, the longer it takes her to bring her son to NYC, and she starts breaking down in the distress.

It's a very well-acted film. I look forward to watching more of Anna Diop, who plays the nanny Aisha, in the future.

The primary reason I wanted to see this movie was because it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2022. So how bad could it possibly be, especially since they awarded it to CODA in 2021?

After sitting through this, I am absolutely clueless how this could have possibly won anything, much less such a prestigious prize. All these clues are building and building throughout the movie, and then when the "payoff" happens, you're just scratching your head wondering how they squandered it all.

The only good thing I can say about this movie is that Anna Diop is excellent as the Nanny, and I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes a big star down the road.

Other than that, I can't stress enough not to waste your time with this one. Look at all the other negative reviews this is receiving on IMDb! You'll thank us all if you avoid it.