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War/Dance

Music can’t heal wounds this big, but it sure does help

By Matt Pais

Metromix
November 9, 2007

Critic's Rating:

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Due to the threat of violence from the Lord’s Resistance Army, more than 90 percent of Northern Uganda’s Acholi tribe lives in government-protected camps. “War/Dance” chronicles a handful of kids from the Patongo primary school as they cope with the dangerous environment and death of family members, and compete in a national music competition.

Big question: Can this hopeful African tale tackle its subject with more focus than the anyone-can-make-a-difference-just-do-something documentary, “Darfur Now”?

Catch it: At once heartbreaking and inspirational, “War/Dance” will make you feel the kids’ fear and admire the strength it takes to push forward in unimaginable conditions. The movie doesn’t sugarcoat the problems and it gives voice to some of those affected by turmoil in Africa, even if there’s something inherently uncomfortable about hearing these first-person horror stories from the comfort of a theater.

Skip it: If you can’t understand the kids when they say that singing helps them feel like things are back to the way they were before the violence. That not only means that you’ve never sung before but that you’ve therefore never taken a shower! Um, not that we ever sing in the shower…

Bottom line: You’ll feel like you’re intruding on some of the more painful moments—particularly a young girl crying at her father’s grave and begging for her daddy to “get up.” But even if directors Sean Fine and Andrea Nix lack some degree of tact, these scenes are a crucial part of a story that’s begging to be told—and the harsh realities for kids who savor the escape that comes from surrounding yourself with music.

Bonus: Apparently, some in Uganda believe that “When you have more children, you have more power.” Someone should tell Britney Spears that isn’t how it works in America before it’s too late.

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