There have been many films about the experiences of immigrants coming to the United States. While most are dramas, they have run the gamut of tone and genre. In her feature film debut, Nanny, writer-director Nikyatu Jusu begins with familiar dramatic underpinnings, but layers on elements of folklore and the trappings of recent “elevated horror” films to create something interesting. It is not wholly successful, but it is a very solid debut overall.
Aisha (Anna Diop) is an undocumented immigrant from Senegal living in New York City. She was a teacher back home, but has come to the United States to try to make a better life for herself and her son Lamine (Jahleel Kamara), who is still living with family in Senegal. When the film begins, Aisha is about to begin a new job as a nanny for young Rose (Rose Decker). Rose’s father Adam (Morgan Spector) is often away on business as a photographer, and her mother Amy (Michelle Monaghan) works an unspecified office job which seems to be high-pressure. Things go well at the start, as Rose is an eager pupil for her French lessons from Aisha and quickly becomes attached to new nanny. Aisha is happy at first as well, as the new job is allowing her to send money home in the hopes that Lamine will be able to travel to live with her by his upcoming seventh birthday. But in typical fashion for films focusing on the relationship of the wealthy to their help, there are problems in the house.
There are multiple hints that Adam is unfaithful to Amy and Amy is consistently shorting Aisha on her pay or failing to pay her at all. But among the hardships, Aisha also connects romantically with Malik (Sinqua Walls), a security guard in the building where Aisha works. Interspersed with her work and her time with Malik, Aisha beings to experience disturbing visions, mingling violence, water, and Lamine. Aisha is worried, but with time differences and busy schedules, is rarely able to connect with her son and the family back in Senegal.
Jusu does well with her first film. The script is versatile, with its mix of immigrant story, family drama, folklore (the trickster god Anansi is significant in a large section of the film), and a smattering of psychological horror. There is also some cautionary social commentary about men taking advantage of younger women and about the wealthy taking advantage of the undocumented. The horror elements are the biggest question mark in the film. Because they are limited, it often feels like they aren’t necessary to the story that Jusu is telling – that this might in fact work better as a straight drama. But they are visually well done and do set the film apart. As the marketing spotlights this as a Blumhouse release, audiences coming to the film expecting primarily horror may come away disappointed on that side of things. But they will be getting a well-written film from a director who shows a lot of promise, and who is currently slotted to move on two more traditional horror projects.
Another strength of the film is in the acting. Anna Diop is wonderful as Aisha. She has to play loving, frustrated, fearful and sensual, and does it all with grace. She makes Aisha an easy character to feel for and to root for. She has terrific, easy chemistry in her scenes with Walls’s Malik. The character Sallay, played by Zephani Idoko, is also a highlight. She is primarily featured in only two scenes, but her scene with Aisha where they discuss life in Africa and the adjustment to life in the United States is one of the compelling moments in the film. While the dual tones of drama and horror don’t always meld especially well, this is a satisfying film overall, and it will be interesting to see what Nikyatu Jusu does next.
Nanny is currently in theaters and begins streaming on Amazon Prime on December 16, 2022
Might have to check this one out
Streaming on prime means I’m highly likely to check this out. Some of the direct to streaming blumhouse stuff has been interesting
Not a good movie. The story was all over the place.
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