The World of Movies: Disconnect
Written by Rachael Crawley
The World of Movies is a series that explores global cinema, drawing on films from many countries, industries and eras. This week, we’re going with love and laughs in present-day Kenya.
Disconnect.
May contain spoilers.
The world is depressing and times are tough. Who wants to watch a nice rom-com with me?
Disconnect (David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga/Michael Jones, 2018) is just the ticket. Celine (Brenda Wairimu) is a young dentist in Nairobi, recently out of her latest breakup. Fortunately, she is surrounded by a supportive circle of friends, including Josh (Nick Mutuma), her best friend since childhood. The two of them navigate their various romantic crises, with the help of the community around them. Of course, the course of true love can lead to some strange adventures.
It’s easy to guess where the story is going from here. That said, a rom-com is never really about the ending. This movie takes the time to get to know its characters, and to let us enjoy their story. It even touches on some societal issues from time to time, while never losing sight of its lighthearted tone. Along the way, we get a few surprises, too.
And what an amusing journey it is. The movie looks great, first of all – the camera work is stellar. The film is told through a fun mix of flashbacks and narration from various characters. There are several fun and flirty romance scenes. At times the screenplay can be downright frank. Though the dialogue can occasionally be clunky, there are some good quips. The characters are given enough time to develop, which lends them them a ring of truth, and they feel relatable. The cast is engaging all around. Wairimu particularly shines – she’s one of Kenya’s top stars, and has that intangible quality that lets a person carry a film. There’s also a fun pop soundtrack, which adds to some of the film’s crucial moments. The whole movie gives off a comfortable feeling – like you are among friends, just like the characters.
Disconnect.
That is not to say that this movie is perfect. It has a bit of difficulty handling the transition from funny to serious moments. The humour can occasionally fall flat, and maybe veer into crassness. In general, the movie could use a bit of tightening up, as it meanders a bit while telling its story. Still, the end result is entertaining, and even manages to impart some truths.
To me, romantic comedies have historically been given short shrift. Since their subject matter is usually light and their stories relatively simple, even good movies can be unnecessarily dismissed. A movie meant “only” to entertain can still tell us something about the time and place where it was made, or the audience it is trying to reach – while still working with themes that are truly universal.
Disconnect is an amusing watch that hits all the romantic comedy tropes without resorting to cliches, helped by a strong lead and some good aesthetic choices. While I wouldn’t rank it at the top for filmmaking quality (and that list is coming soon), if it came time to rank the most enjoyable films I’ve seen for this column, this would certainly be near the top.
Rachael Crawley holds a Master's Degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, and has worked with film in Canada and in Europe. She adores language and cinema, and how these subjects interact with each other.