An African woman hopes her new job as a nanny will help bring her young son to the United States. However, when a violent presence begins to invade both her dreams and reality, it threatens to destroy everything she's fought for.
Anna Diop, Michelle Monaghan, Sinqua Walls, Leslie Uggams, Morgan Spector, Rose Decker
‘Nanny’ is an innovative film that struggles to find its footing as a drama, thriller, or a full on horror film. Anna Diop’s fantastic and transformative performance promises a long and virtuous career in the industry going forward.
Throughout the films runtime, it seems like it’s constantly switching between several different genres. What opens up with a very horrifying and intriguing shot, quickly moves into more of a drama in the scenes that follow, with brief scenes spread throughout that infuse the film with the supernatural. Personally, the lack of dedication to the horror genre didn’t personally work for me, as the film only seems to commit to it in the final act. By then the horror feels out of place and not in sync with the rest of the film.
That being said, this is a very fresh and original film. Anna Diop is a force and she’s solidified her place as one of the best and most underrated actresses working today. Her ability to express the raw emotion necessary to get the audience to connect with her character is such a thing to behold, especially in those last fifteen minutes. I can’t wait to see where she goes with her career.
The cinematography is fantastic. I loved the symbolic imagery in the last half of this film, there’s a lot going on, and a lot to think about and dissect by the time the credits roll, which is something I always appreciate about a film. When it keeps you thinking.
Despite an apparent identity crisis, ‘Nanny’ breaks enough new ground to make up for its tonal inconsistencies. Combined with a star making performance from Anna Diop, this is one of the few hidden gems of the year.
