Respond to these rapid questions in our The Water Man quiz and we will tell you which The Water Man character you are. Play it now.
“If the book will be too difficult for adults, then you write it for children,” said Madeleine L’Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time, at one point. While watching David Oyelowo’s very moving directorial debut, I found myself thinking about that quote a lot. The film “The Water Man,” with a screenplay by Emily A. Needell, deals with difficult subjects that even adults find difficult to confront, but it is geared toward children and families, and it is told from the perspective of a young child.
Gunner Boone (Lonnie Chavis) is an eleven-year-old who spends most of his time in his head, riding his bike, visiting a local bookstore to pick up yet another collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, and working on his own graphic novel about a detective who investigates his own death. His family has recently relocated to the area, and he is the new kid on the block. He doesn’t have any friends. Gunner, on the other hand, has escapist tendencies that stem from a deeper source. His mother Mary (Rosario Dawson) is suffering from leukemia, and his father Amos (Damian Oyelowo) is a Marine who is deployed for extended periods of time. When Amos is at home, he is unable to communicate with Gunner. He’s abrasive, abrupt, and at times, even harsh.
Gunner comes across a local legend about a ghostly being known as The Water Man, which he believes to be true. Local children hand over their allowances to a blue-haired girl named Jo (Amiah Miller), who boasts that she not only has seen The Water Man, but that she also has a scar on her neck as proof of her encounter with the supernatural being. Gunner isn’t a huge fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for nothing. A paranoid, passionate undertaker (Alfred Molina) who believes that The Water Man may hold the key to immortality is tracked down by the hero. Gunner then hires Jo (a seasoned thief) to transport him up to the ridge where she first encountered The Water Man. The two children set out into the dark forest, their knapsacks brimming with food and supplies for the journey ahead of them.
But you shouldn’t waste any more time and start this The Water Man quiz.
An adventure story, a journey of a hero is presented here. “The Water Man” leans heavily on fairytale tropes (the bookstore Gunner frequents is named Once Upon a Time), with Gunner and Jo, a Hansel and Gretel duo who have been abandoned by their parents, striking out on their own and creating their own world together, as the title suggests. The forest is full of amazing and difficult-to-explain phenomena: howling and moaning in the distance, stampeding wild horses, dark shining rocks hung at intervals (like bread crumbs through the forest), a raging river of beetles, and even snow at one point, despite the fact that it’s July in the middle of summer. It is impossible for the children to know that a forest fire is raging out of control on the other side of the ridge, and they are trudging right into the conflagration without any warning. They argue, solve problems, and finally come together as a result of their experiences.
The Water Man Quiz
This may all seem trite or simplistic, but it isn’t, especially when you consider the deeply felt performances from all four of the main characters. Dawson, who is sitting at the kitchen table, bursts into spontaneous tears at one point in the film, and the scene demonstrates Oyelowo’s sensitivity to the rhythm of a performance. He just sits back and watches it unfold. It takes extraordinary courage for both Chavis and Miller to navigate what can be a difficult terrain, transitioning from a purely transactional relationship to a deep and caring friendship. This is a substantial amount of material, and both of them are more than capable of handling it. Oyelowo, on the other hand, is completely convincing as a man who has become emotionally shut down as a result of his failures as a father.
Also, you will find out which character are you in this The Water Man quiz.
The film was produced by Yoruba Saxon, the production company that Oyelowo founded with his wife Jessica (with a little assistance from Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films) and directed by Oyelowo. Musicians Jessica Oyelowo and her son Asher composed and performed the song that plays over the end credits of the film. This is a family affair, after all. Simple but effective special effects are used throughout the film, and the inclusion of Gunner’s sketchbooks and comic books “come to life” as he attempts to wish his way into a magical world where a watery immortal being can save his mother is a particularly effective touch. The sketches that come to life (thanks to Chel White’s animation) propel us into Gunner’s point of view while also easing us through the awkward expository monologues that follow. Please make sure to stay to see the finished version of Gunner’s graphic novel, which will be shown after the credits (created by Dan Schaefer). It’s the perfect complement to everything we’ve just witnessed.
About the quiz
“The Water Man” had such an impact on me in part because my family had recently suffered a similar loss, and the ramifications of that loss are still reverberating throughout our lives. Nothing will ever be the same after this. The phrase “everything happens for a reason” isn’t going to cut it with children who have recently lost a parent. The complexity of these characters, as well as the nature of their specific struggles, is what really stands out throughout the novel. Everyone is given the opportunity to be human. Humanity is more than just our altruistic impulses. Humanity is another area in which we fall short. It is about characters who have failed one another through deception, denial, or just plain neglect, and who then attempt to put things right. Each character tells a lie or, at the very least, withholds information at some point in the story. The fact that Mary is ill is something she doesn’t want Gunner to know. In order to get out of the house, Gunner lies to his parents and sneaks out, sending the entire town into a frenzy. Jo is a liar in every aspect of her life. She has her reasons for doing so. Meanwhile, a grieving Amos lies to his wife about Gunner’s disappearance, a decision that is both unforgivable and completely understandable in the circumstances. “Sometimes you have to lie,” says Harriet the Spy, a book written for a similar age group. “Sometimes you have to lie.” When is it acceptable to lie? When do we have to tell the truth? When is it appropriate to use deception as a coping mechanism? When are we going to be honest with ourselves?
Also, you must try to play this The Water Man quiz.
Things are not always as black and white as they appear. This is the arena in which “The Water Man” truly excels. Children absorb everything, both good and bad, including all of the stresses, heartbreak, and anxiety that adults are experiencing around them. Children are capable of dealing with difficult situations. Oyelowo is well aware of this and respects it.
The film is currently showing in theaters.
For more personality quizzes check this: The Emperor S New Groove Quiz.
