Analysis of white waters

AN ANALYSIS OF THE MOVIE; WHITE WATERS

The plot: the plot of this movie by Amstel Malt box office, "White Waters" is simply about a boy; Melvin, who rejected by his parents because of his constant poor academic performance, grew up with his grandmother in Amori village where his passion for running attracted the attention of friends and foes alike. He was scouted by a couch who spoke to his grandmother to allow him train and compete with the other athletes. He meets and develops a passionate relationship with fellow athlete; Nola which brings him out of his reclusive shell until an unfortunate incident occurred where Nola was attacked and her possessions stolen from her has found with Melvin. This brought an end to the relationship and caused Melvin to retire into his friendless shell. Melvin, who was persuaded by the coach to continue training with the team to qualify for the athletic event, Even after he fails the team by dropping the baton in the relay race, the coach, acting on his own volition, trains him for the National championship competition where he proceeded to win 1st place, proving to himself, his family and everyone that he was not a failure.
The Theme: This film possesses a symptomatic meaning in the sense that it portrays the nature of some parents who write off their children as failures and abandon them as a lost cause, people who grow up with the mentality that they are failures because someone told them so, it may be their parents or their peers, and it also shows the fact that people who are said to be failures, more often than not, tend to shock the world or their significant others as the case may be with their exploits, this may be due to the fact that they are constantly trying to prove to themselves that they are not failures. The shots were exemplary, the characterization was superb and the costume was appropriate for the setting.

Formal Expectation: The formal expectation in this movie was when Melvin won at the end, it was totally predictable.

Cheated expectation: The cheated expectations occurred when Melvin won so easily, also, when he took Nola back just because she raised a cardboard that read ‘mon ami’ also when Melvin’s mother easily gave up on her own child and abandoned him in the village, also, the fact that no arrest was made and Banji went scot free after attacking Nola and planting he stolen personal effects on Melvin, when Melvin went to the doctor to get his grandmother’s asthma medication. Because of the delay perpetuated by Banji and his cohorts, one would have thought that the grandmother would be dead or in a critical condition by the time he finally gets home but that was not the case, the fact that Nola believed that Melvin was guilty even though she knew that there was no way he could have printed out the picture she found in his room and finally, the fact that Nola went too easily to Banji after giving the viewer the impression that she was a woman of principles, it was a real let down.
Surprise and suspense: The only notable suspense and surprise in this movie was when Melvin went to the doctor to get his grandmother’s asthma medication, viewers were anxious to find out the grandmother’s condition, if she was going to live or die and the period before Nola was attacked as viewers could observe that she was being followed but were not able to see who was following her or what they would do to her.
Feelings: the feelings in this movie are
• Love: Love between Nola and Melvin
• Happiness: Briefly, for Melvin, when things between he and Nola was still rosy and happiness at the end when he won.
• Loneliness – Loneliness of Melvin who has been abandoned by his parents and had no friend, this can also be seen in the naming of his fish; loneliness.
• Anguish: one can almost feel Melvin’s anguish when nobody believed he was innocent.
• Hurt: this is observed in melvin’s attitude when he felt betrayed by Nola, when Nola started a relationship with Banji, and when she did not believe he was innocent
• Pride: this is observed in the general attitude of Banji
• Anger: This is seen in Melvin’s disposition when the coach called him a failure
• Determination: This is observed in Melvin’s zeal to prove that he is not a failure

Causes and Effect:
If Nola had not extended a hand of friendship towards Melvin, he wouldn’t have come out of his shell his parents had not giving up on him he would not have fought so hard to prove that he wasn’t a failure. Also, if Nola had not taken him to the water fall and shown him the ‘farin ruwa’(white waters) his life wouldn’t have changed so drastically.
Repetition: repetition was seen in Banji repeatedly calling himself “Massive”

Differences and Emphasis: this is seen in the difference between Melvin’s step father’s attitude towards him and the coach’s attitude, while the coach believed in Melvin, his step father did not believe in him. Also, his mother and his grandmother, while his mother gave up on him and abandoned him, his grandmother took him in, cared for him and believed in him. Also in Banji’s attitude and Melvin’s attitude, while Banji was exceptionally good at running and was very proud due to that singular fact, Melvin was even better than him and was humble.

Mis-en-scene:
• Setting: The setting is in the village and a huge part was on the village training field.
• Lighting: The lighting was perfect and greatly emphasized the village setting.
• Costume: The made use of normal clothes except where they were on the training ground, there they made use of leotards and other sports wear.
• Behavior of characters: the characterization was excellent except Melvin’s mother, it is usually not easy for a mother to give up her own child, she did not act like a mother.

Symbolism: The white water symbolizes a turnaround for Melvin, and symbolism can also be seen in the naming of his fishes; Loneliness, for when he was lonely and friendless and Mon ami which means ‘my friend’.

Personal Observation: firstly, Nola shouldn’t have had a relationship with Banji, Melvin should not have won so easily, Banji should have been arrested, Melvin’s family should have shown up at the end to see their failure of a son actually win, the viewers should have been shown at some point in the movie how Nola was attacked and who attacked Nola.