Overview
A young boy's ingenuity shines as he battles against nature's harshest trials to save his village.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- serious
- compassionate
- hopeful
- inspirational viewing
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film predictably uplifting but effective, praising its performances, visual beauty, and Chiwetel Ejiofor's directorial debut.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
William studies physics books and repurposes a bicycle and other discarded materials to construct a wind generator for his drought-stricken village.
William's inventive plan clashes with Trywell's immediate concerns about family survival, farming, and scarce resources.
The film emphasizes Malawi's fields, drought conditions, and the Kamkwamba family's daily struggle through expansive, carefully composed imagery.
William's access to the school library and physics texts enables an invention intended to protect his entire community from starvation.
Films like The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, and why
Lion
shared inspirational biopic structure, rural hardship, and determined young protagonist
October Sky
shared true-story drama, educational aspiration, and uplifting resilience
A Better Life
shared socially conscious historical drama, poverty, and community struggle
Movie Details
- Director
- Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Release Date
- 2019-02-14
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (1925)
Cast
- Maxwell Simba
- Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Aïssa Maïga
- Lily Banda
- Joseph Marcell
- Lemogang Tsipa
- Philbert Falakeza
- Noma Dumezweni
- Khalani Makunje
- Robert Agengo
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind about?
- A resourceful Malawian teenager turns library physics and salvaged machinery into a daring bid to rescue his drought-stricken village.
- What is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.
- What did critics think of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind?
- Critics broadly found the film predictably uplifting but effective, praising its performances, visual beauty, and Chiwetel Ejiofor's directorial debut.
- Which films are like The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind?
- Films with a similar feel include Lion, October Sky, and A Better Life.
- How long is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind?
- The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind?
- In United States, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
