First Grader is based on the true story of 84 year-old Kimani N’gan’ga Maruge (Litondo), Kenyan freedom fighter who went back to primary school in order to learn to read. It is an uplifting, romanticised film infused with the dry beauty of the Kenyan landscape and powered by the moist-eyed performance of Oliver Litondo in the title role.The film opens with the tall figure of Kimani standing at the gates of a remote Kenyan school, determined to take advantage of a new government promise of free education for all. Battling many odds including an apprehensive school authority and a confused community of his young classmates, Maruge is taken under the wing of teacher Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris), who believes in him and the universal benefits of education.

As the pair deals with increasing interference from local people, increasing tribal rivalries, and the gaze of national politicians, Maruge’s dark and distressing past as a member of the violent Mau Mau movement in the 1950s, as Kenya was fighting colonial rule by the British, slowly filters to the surface.

Screenwriter Ann Peacock and director Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) make this a highly melodramatic affair, playing for all the obvious soft spots in a story that labours hard to balance between the inspiring story of an old man’s quest for education and the politics of a nation’s colonial past.

The storyline also simplifies the more interesting and complex aspects of Maruge’s back story as one of the band of rebels who fought British colonialism at great personal cost, reducing this more mysterious part of the tale to stereotypical cliches of torture, repression and lost family.

Cinematographer Rob Hardy adds to the idealistic feel of the film with dreamy shallow focus cinematography and Alex Heffes’ uplifting music helps add further punctuation to the obvious direction of the narrative. It is carefully designed to make you feel good by the end – and you will – but the unsubtle journey does not do the subject matter the justice it deserves. By the way, did you know First Grader was acquired by National Geographic Entertainment (NGE)?

First Grader is based on the true story of 84-year-old Kimani N’gan’ga Maruge (Litondo), a Kenyan freedom fighter who went back to primary school to learn to read. It is an uplifting, romanticised film infused with the dry beauty of the Kenyan landscape and powered by the moist-eyed performance of Oliver Litondo in the title role.

The film opens with the tall figure of Kimani standing at the gates of a small Kenyan school, determined to take advantage of a new government promise of free education for all. Battling many odds, including an apprehensive school authority and a confused community of his young classmates, Maruge is taken under the wing of teacher Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris), who believes in him and the universal benefits of education.

As the pair deals with increasing interference from local people, growing tribal rivalries, and the gaze of national politicians, Maruge’s dark and distressing past as a member of the violent Mau Mau movement in the 1950s, as Kenya was fighting colonial rule by the British, slowly filters to the surface.

Screenwriter Ann Peacock and director Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) make this a theatrical affair, playing for all the prominent soft spots in a story that labours hard to balance between the inspiring story of an older man’s quest for education and the politics of a nation’s colonial past.

The storyline also simplifies the more exciting and complex aspects of Maruge’s back story as one of the rebels who fought British colonialism at high personal cost, reducing this more mysterious part of the tale to stereotypical cliches of torture repression lost family.

Cinematographer Rob Hardy adds to the romantic feel of the film with dreamy shallow-focus cinematography, and Alex Heffes’ uplifting music helps add additional punctuation to the apparent direction of the narrative. It is carefully designed to make you feel good by the end – and you will – but the unsubtle journey does not do the subject matter the justice it deserves. By the way, did you know First Grader was acquired by National Geographic Entertainment (NGE)?

Watch Trailer

Release Date

2013

Watch Time

103 minutes

MPAA Rating

PG-13

The Cast

Naomie Harris [Jane Obinchu], Oliver Litondo [Kimani Maruge], Alfred Munyua [Alfred], Tony Kgoroge [Charles Obinchu], Vusi Kunene [Mr. Kipruto], Sam Feuer [American Journalist]

80%

Acting 80%

Plot 80%

Cinematography 76%

Music 90%

Our Final Thoughts

Generally, the film has been well received, raking in $714,722 at the Box Office. As of 2013, it held a 59% amalgamated critics rating and 78% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 71% rating on IMDb.