Guava Island (2019)

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Siskoid
After Janelle Monáe's Dirty Computer, it's Childish Gambino's turn to make a short movie that uses his songs as part of the narrative. Guava Island stars Donald Glover and Rihanna as a young couple living on a fictional Caribbean island with a single export. She dreams of leaving, he loves it too much ever to do so. Unfortunately, I don't think that conflict is explored enough, even if I like what the film has to say about capitalism stifling culture, putting the song This Is America into a more universal context, the foundation of the movie's themes. I wish it could have done both, and that they'd realized what they had and decided to make a full feature that could. As is, there are still many things to like - the animated opening that builds the world, the re-choreographed songs (no repeated footage from videos), the general easy-going tone, and surprises along the way. As to whether the character of Deni is self-aggrandizement for Glover, I don't know. On paper, yes, he's a little too Christ-like, but though he sings the same songs, he's not Glover. Whether the distance afforded by fiction is enough for you not to see this as vanity, is up to you. 5 years ago