We live in an era where social media glamorizes the perfect life. Everytime I scroll on Instagram, there’s an influncer showing us her new white aesthetic house, another one showing us his new Mecedes GLE or a couple showing us how much they are travelling around the world. I am not saying there’s anything wrong with it. It is just a tad bit too glamorized. Well family vacation a film showing on Netflix , is centered on the same theme.
The film is one hour and about twenty minutes long. It is produced by Alfajiri productions and premiered on Netflix on the 9th of August. Family vacation trended in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria days after its release on the platform. It follows an internet famous couple that has a perfect relationship online but a crumbling marriage on the ground. They find themselves on a trip and hope to adress their marital issues all this while stringing their young daughter along.
The film stars Sarah Hassan, Lenana Kariba, Angel Atieno and Jackie Matubia. Chantelle Naisola and Miriam Bishar are also part of the cast. Voline Ogutu is not only the writer but a director of the film co-directing with Edwin Kamau. Guess who is the producer? yes? Sarah Hassan! I honestly dont hate the idea of actors taking up other roles in the production world if they can do it.
Now the film is a rose visually. It’s beautiful ,it’s clean , it’s basically eye candy. It starts like one of those mexican films ending. Romantic and mushy. Then takes a surprising twist minutes later into the film. The pacing is great I must say. Makeup, hair, wardrobe all did a great job. It certainly helps the film feel more aesthetically pleasing.
Art Siteiya did a good job with the set in Yara’s flashback. But really maybe I should be commending the gaffers.
Now let’s talk about the story itself. Family vacation is a film that you watch and forget about it the next day. It is what i’d call a dopamine story. You watch it ,you feel good ,but after, the high comes down. It doesn’t create a lasting impression way after the film. I honestly don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Because it certainly depends on whether the filmmaker wanted to make one of those films you watch just before going to bed so that you can calm your thoughts since it doesn’t occupy your mind. My sentiments however do not water down the fact that the film does address some issues in our current society. Marriage, childhood trauma, parenting and the effects of social media both positively and negatively in our relationships. I just think the story is a wee bit too simple. And simple stories are good sometimes yeah?
When it comes to the plot and character development of each character, they nailed it on all except on Shani’s and Lilah’s. Lilah played by Angel Atieno is Yara and Jon’s daughter. It would have been great if they also explored Lilah’s character by showing us how she felt in about her parents relationship. I know they tried showing it, I just wish they explored it further. It would have been a great way to milk emotions out of us. Shani’s character was honestly underdeveloped. The film would literally not be changed in any way if her character was taken off. Except for the part where she tells Lilah her mum is using her, I don’t see how her character helps push the story. How did she meet Jon? Why does she want Jon? What is her obsession with Jon? Does Jon really like her? So many questions about this character and her purpose in the story. Yet no answer.
Casting Lilah as Yara’s and Jon’s daughter might have also been a bit off. The three don’t exactly look related. Which takes away the beliavability that we first try to build when making a film.
My biggest concern after watching the film is their lack of marketing.Both online and offline. Apart from the three or four instagram posts the cast memebers and directors post, there’s literally nothing else about the film anywhere. I don’t know what kind of agreement the filmmakers had with Netflix but Volume, a series on Netflix made an effort in pushing their film to the audience. I really wish Kenyan filmmakers would see their films as assets and not as over the counter products.
Family vacation scores a 5 out of 10.
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