With strong performances from the likes of Joseph Wairimu and Olwenya Maina, alongside an impressive script and awesome directing, welcome to a 96-minute class introducing Nairobi- especially the dark side. Throw away all your tourist guidebooks! This is it! Further, knowing many Nairobians who are oblivious of some of the realities presented in the film, this is a great opportunity to gain some knowledge on how things could take a turn for the worse. To the film itself, I liked how the actors brought out the parallels in the script; the protagonist's double life, hope and dreams of a 'respectable' livelihood away from commercial sex work, clubbing in Westlands versus catching pints in dinghy pubs, country life versus city life, etc, all juxtaposed against each other. The contrasts are too accentuated to ignore, perhaps convincing one to look rather than look away when Mwas beseeches us movingly as the story resolves. The audience also doesn't lose sense of an overbearing theme of morality and goodness amid all the rot, crime, and hedonism. Whereas most other good efforts from the Kenyan film sector fail to bridge Kenyan realities, concentrating on exclusively suburban, ghetto, or country life themes, NHL manages to weave a tale bringing all such outlooks together. However, the fate of the gang rather smashes any hope of a way out from criminal lives. Cruel! Overall, that was some well spent 96 minutes.
Review of Nairobi Half Life
