The Water Man

Heartfelt, but overwrought and overplayed throughout.

There's such a winning earnestness to it that I think [director David Oyelowo] comes by honestly.

The Water Man feels a little watered-down even by the standards of its genre, with somewhat less heft than the old Hallmark Hall of Fame movies, which created a classy environment to sell greeting cards woven into the drama.

The well-executed components support the fairy tale when the tale itself runs short.

"The Water Man" is a sensitive coming of age story about loss, friendship and the need to believe in magic, and Oyelowo proves himself to be a gifted storyteller with a big imagination.

The end result, "The Water Man," while not altogether graceless, registers as tonally disjointed and ultimately inconsequential in spite of its star-fronted cast.

... Good-hearted but unexciting drama.

Narratively conventional... a story that touches on themes such as death and sickness, and how hard it is to investigate to get to the bottom of things. [Full review in Spanish]

David Oyelowo's feature debut tells a universal & relatable story to audiences of all backgrounds. At a time where superhero movies dominate cinematic content, it's refreshing to see an ordinary boy being the hero of his own story.

Subtle, sensitive, supernatural family-friendly fantasy/adventure.