There’s an ongoing debate about the impact of technology, particularly mobile phones and social media, with strong opinions on both sides. In today’s world, social media has become deeply embedded in our lives—from marketing and news to the go-to cure for boredom. But, as with all things, the positives of technology are inevitably accompanied by some negatives.
Family Vacation is a Kenyan film that explores the challenges of a life heavily influenced by social media. This theme has been discussed by many, especially the older generations. But does the film succeed in addressing this topic, and most importantly, does it fulfill the core purpose of any good movie—to entertain?
Family Vacation is an 82-minute Kenyan drama produced by Alfajiri Productions on Netflix.
It's produced by Sarah Hassan, directed by Voline Ogutu and Edwin Kamau Miring’u, and written by Voline Ogutu. The talented cast includes Sarah Hassan, Lenana Kariba (whom I would love to see in an action, horror, or fantasy film), Angel Atieno, Jackie Matubia, Joyce Maina, and Jewel Furaha.
Synopsis
An internet-famous couple, desperate to confront their marital issues, embarks on a turbulent trip down memory lane.
The casting is fantastic. The producers clearly understood that the cornerstone of this drama is performance. Sarah Hassan is particularly strong, especially in the third act when her character comes to terms with with her action. The moments of introspection, captured through close-up shots, work well, largely due to her performance.
Lenana Kariba and Joyce Maina are excellent in their shared scenes. Even the child actors are good, particularly Jewel Furaha, who plays the young Yara. In her limited scenes, she conveys emotion effectively through expressions.
Visually, this is a beautiful film thanks to Victor Ombogo's cinematography. The frames are meticulously composed, and the lighting and overall visual tone create a colourful and pleasing motion picture. I appreciated the small details, like the use of slow dolly and pan shots to add weight to certain scenes.
The makeup and costumes enhance the film’s visual flair, with characters looking appropriate for their settings and situations. The set and location choices are excellent, with a significant portion of the film set in Old Town Mombasa. The aerial shots of the coast, beginning with the title card over the teal ocean, are particularly striking.
The story and direction are solid, even if not groundbreaking. The film takes a familiar “family vacation” trope and presents it in a way that’s easy to follow but from a different angle. The theme is relatable, addressing an issue many young people face today. Yara will likely remind viewers of someone they know who has a close relationship with their phone.
I also liked how exposition and use of flashbacks was handled and utilised especially in the beginning.
Nitpicks
The sound design and music could be a lot better. While two songs work well in conveying emotions, some tracks and sound effects are unable to match the visuals. The editing could also be sharper, particularly in the first act, where some scenes linger too long.
While I enjoyed most of the performances, some scenes could have benefited from a bit of improvisation. At times, I could “see” the lines from the screenplay, which could have been avoided by revisiting the dialogue to make it sound more natural. For example, pulling a childout of school for a surprise holiday is like shooting a sugary drink directly into a child's vein, it would likely result in an explosion of excitement and curiosity, with a barrage of questions and demands. Yet, a aprticular scene didn’t fully capture that energy.
I also felt Shani’s character needed more development. Offering a clearer explanation for her obsession with Johnathan, and making her motivations relatable, could have added more depth to her character and made her relationship with Johnathan and the viewer more complex.
Finally, I didn’t quite buy the physical resemblance between Lilah and Yara, and some of the effects used to illustrate the social media comments could have been better.
Conclusion
Family Vacation is a film that’s best enjoyed with friends, especially those in “high octane” (toxic) relationships. While there are moments where the screenplay feels stiff and the sound design falls short, this is still a compelling story that explores a theme many young people are, or will soon be, grappling with.
