‘Wade in the Water’ is an indie drama/black comedy starring Tom E. Nicholson simply known as “our man”, a loner who works from home and has anger management issues that he takes out on everyone around him. After receiving a package in his PO box by mistake, one that holds dark secrets that can’t help but bring back his childhood trauma, he decides to take matters into his own hands that leads to an interesting journey of moral ambiguity and complex issues that most filmmakers wouldn’t dare to touch. It’s hard to talk about without spoiling what happens, but I will say that the themes of the film are dark with being gratuitously so. It felt personal, so it didn’t (to me, at least) seem to be exploiting the painful experiences this character has been through that real people unfortunately also go through.
After making a heavy and life-altering decision to act upon what he’s found, Our Man develops an unlikely friendship with Tilly (Danika Golombek), who knows about what he’s done and wants to dig deeper into the reasons behind it for closure. Despite their interactions not beginning until later on in the film, the impact that they have on one another is well earned nonetheless; their relationship is complicated, not black and white by any means, as they both try to grapple with the philosophical and moral implications of the vigilante justice Our Man decided to dish out. It brings up complicated issues surrounding forgiveness, justice, and revenge. It’s interesting that audiences for this film may all stand very differently on these issues and therefore side more with one of the protagonists than the other – but again, like their relationship, things don’t appear to be black and white. It will make you question your previous opinions about what justice is and who should have the right to decide what it means. Both Nicholson and Golombek do a great job at portraying two people who are equally as irresolute as the other about what has happened, becoming more torn about their viewpoints as they listen to each other.
Not knowing much about the plot going into the film was ideal; watching it unfold into a dark, thoughtful story was unexpected in the best way, so I was very pleasantly surprised. The comedic moments worked well with the tragic and serious moments, offering a piece of hope in what feels like a story that can in no way end well. It’s not over-the-top humour and is more on the deadpan side of things, so it isn’t out of place as it easily could be in a narrative about a topic as serious as it is. Overall, I would definitely encourage people to watch ‘Wade in the Water’ if you enjoy thought-provoking black comedies. The narrative structure and pace might not be conventional, but it’s interesting and works really well.
After making a heavy and life-altering decision to act upon what he’s found, Our Man develops an unlikely friendship with Tilly (Danika Golombek), who knows about what he’s done and wants to dig deeper into the reasons behind it for closure. Despite their interactions not beginning until later on in the film, the impact that they have on one another is well earned nonetheless; their relationship is complicated, not black and white by any means, as they both try to grapple with the philosophical and moral implications of the vigilante justice Our Man decided to dish out. It brings up complicated issues surrounding forgiveness, justice, and revenge. It’s interesting that audiences for this film may all stand very differently on these issues and therefore side more with one of the protagonists than the other – but again, like their relationship, things don’t appear to be black and white. It will make you question your previous opinions about what justice is and who should have the right to decide what it means. Both Nicholson and Golombek do a great job at portraying two people who are equally as irresolute as the other about what has happened, becoming more torn about their viewpoints as they listen to each other.
Not knowing much about the plot going into the film was ideal; watching it unfold into a dark, thoughtful story was unexpected in the best way, so I was very pleasantly surprised. The comedic moments worked well with the tragic and serious moments, offering a piece of hope in what feels like a story that can in no way end well. It’s not over-the-top humour and is more on the deadpan side of things, so it isn’t out of place as it easily could be in a narrative about a topic as serious as it is. Overall, I would definitely encourage people to watch ‘Wade in the Water’ if you enjoy thought-provoking black comedies. The narrative structure and pace might not be conventional, but it’s interesting and works really well.
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