A boy tries to find a myth in The Water Man, the feature directorial debut of David Oyelowo.
The town Gunner’s family moved to isn’t ideal, but it does provide a tantalizing opportunity. Lore has it there’s an immortal man hiding out in the woods, and immortality is exactly what Gunner’s family needs. His mother is very ill, and as a young boy there’s not much Gunner can do to save her except find this man and the secrets he holds. So he sets out with a local girl, but they find the woods much more dangerous than they anticipated.
A family adventure film is perhaps not the kind of material you would expect Oyelowo to use as his directorial debut, but it provides a lot of room for him to stretch his legs. There’s the family drama of it all, which is significant given the problems they face, along with the imaginative, CGI-laden adventures the kids face.
But this isn’t a full-on career shift for Oyelowo, who keeps his acting work going by starring as Gunner’s father. Rosario Dawson co-stars as the ill mother, which should provide a solid emotional foundation for the movie. But the film really belongs to Lonnie Chavis as Gunner, who has a surprisingly long resume given his age (including consistent work on the television series This Is Us). He, along with Amiah Miller as his young friend, will carry this, and they’re about as good as you can get from actors this age.
The Water Man is directed by David Oyelowo and stars Oyelowo, Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller, and Rosario Dawson. It will be released in the US on May 7th, 2021. Further release dates are not currently known.
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