User Reviews

The primary reason I wanted to see this movie was because it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2022. So how bad could it possibly be, especially since they awarded it to CODA in 2021?

After sitting through this, I am absolutely clueless how this could have possibly won anything, much less such a prestigious prize. All these clues are building and building throughout the movie, and then when the "payoff" happens, you're just scratching your head wondering how they squandered it all.

The only good thing I can say about this movie is that Anna Diop is excellent as the Nanny, and I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes a big star down the road.

Other than that, I can't stress enough not to waste your time with this one. Look at all the other negative reviews this is receiving on IMDb! You'll thank us all if you avoid it.

As the many offended reviews on here attest, you should make sure to keep away if you are after Hollywoodian action heroes, generic slasher thrills or spectacular supernatural horror; I kinda sympathise with teenagers approaching a movie dubbed by marketeers as 'horror,' with clear expectation, that can only be disappointed. If you're looking for stylish zombie killing with a Senegalese twist, try Herbulot's Saloum instead. If, on the other hand, your attention-span has not yet shrunk to standard size, and you can cope with a slow build and appreciate an acutely observed portrait, for what it says, rather than what it does, this might be worth your time!

The writing is good: subdued and self-aware, playing with our expectations of 'minority horror', avoiding obvious tropes and hinting at some disquieting of class, race and gender (though I feel the odium might have been spread more evenly between Amy and Adam). The acting is very good (Anna Diop is subtle and shows a great range, Rose Decker is convincing throughout. Again only Amy felt a little too monolithic); The cinematography is sharp and expressive, with the 'water' theme an occasion for a few interesting visual experiments (i.e. The bathtub scenes) and a few that fall short (i.e. The damp bed scenes). The production is a little over-polished for my taste (did Malik the concierge need to drive a convertible?) and on occasion a bit easy (are date scenes awash in multi-coloured neon lights mandatory those days?) But on the whole this is balanced, subtle and elegant: the contrast between Aisha's flat and that of Amy is spot on; the 'modernised' Dutch-wax dresses immediately build characters; etc. The sound effects are good, but the music is a mixed-bag: I'd have gone with less trap and more kora (which has great creepy potential).

Where the film really shines is in its subtle and iconoclastic portrayal Black characters (i.e. The girl at the Western Union counter, the weird fellow nannies on the playground or Aisha herself is refreshingly nuanced, neither loud nor supine but self-assured, articulate and unflinching. She's not the most likeable character on earth (the core relation to her son is on screen only through photographs) but she brings a healthy dose of social realism in a genre always at risk of constructing its own clichés. Aside from those vignettes, the fantastic element which connects them is a little extraneous and disappointing. It feels a little 'tacked on' and this nudges the whole thing toward magical realism rather than horror or fantastic. I also think 'Trickster' figures simply don't fit the feature film format all that well: they lack the time to display the various aspects of their ambiguous character, and end up merely confused and confusing. That is what happens here. The vague New Age womanist references also don't help clarifying the lore out.

In short, there's room for improvement, a stricter production and a tighter scenario would have pleased many more. But all the same, this is an impressive first feature-length entry from Nikyatu Jusu, whom I'll make sure to follow in the future.

The movie captivated me through beginning to about 2/3 through. Its well acted and filmed. I was expecting horror and all that comes with it. It has some of the beginnings of it: strange visions or possibly the character's' imagination- director leaves the answer unclear. Some mystical, African, supernatural myths. It also showcases the plight of hardworking immigrants and the struggles that come with being undocumented, plus the elitist, self-serving duplicitous nature of a Manhattan-based , socially sympathetic WASP couple posing as being caring, activist-oriented, and racially blind. Aahh! That may have been thee horror part, but I say it's simply drama focusing on the the great social divide. The end really leaves the audience with a lot of new and old questions. But no answers- perhaps that's purposeful. The big picture of the ending is clear enough but left me feeling cheated - very much like the main character. Wrapped up better, this could easily been a highly recommended drama (IMDB 6, 7 maybe 8), or even a horror movie . But it's simply a mostly, watchable film.

I do understand why so many folks gave this film low scores. If you are a horror fan such as I and have seen the trailer bait which looked like a horror movie, you might feel cheated to find out that this is not even remotely a horror movie. Perhaps, it is deserving that the film receives low scores.

On the other hand, if you are also a fan of the 'drama' genre and watch the film from that perspective, you will enjoy it.

I do not know who decides to interpolate the genres a film carries within the description, are they IMDb people or Amazon people or whatever but the film, the script and the acting do not pretend to be a horror movie for sure. Therefore I do not blame the film itself for the false tag of horror.

The movie is the melodramatic life of the new immigrant to NYC, a Senegalese woman who works for a rich family as a nanny and takes care of their young daughter whilst trying to save enough money to have her 7 years old son to move in with her to the states. She is struggling with missing her son and working long hours for a family who demands a lot yet does not pay for all of her hours. And the longer it takes them to pay for her work, the longer it takes her to bring her son to NYC, and she starts breaking down in the distress.

It's a very well-acted film. I look forward to watching more of Anna Diop, who plays the nanny Aisha, in the future.

When it comes to making a movie (especially one in the suspense, thriller or horror genre), there's a big difference between "nuanced" and "obscure." And, when it comes to writer-director Nikyatu Jusu's debut feature, it's an offering that more often embodies the latter than the former. This tale of a Senegalese immigrant nanny caring for the young daughter of an upscale New York couple follows her pursuit of starting a new life in America, a venture intruded upon by an array of strange, sporadic, inexplicable, underdeveloped hallucinations, nightmares and other paranormal experiences in what amounts to one of the most unsuspenseful thrillers I've ever screened. Indeed, this film's attempt to elevate what's supposed to be a horror offering to a purported higher level of artistry and sophistication largely falls flat due to glacial pacing, disjointed and extraneous story threads, overly subdued and unexplained imagery, and a largely predictable, underwhelming payoff that just doesn't merit the time and attention it requires to make sense of it all. While the picture features some imaginative cinematography and editing, along with a capable lead performance by Anna Diop, it's nevertheless sorely lacking when it comes to a compelling narrative and cogently written script. Despite its Independent Spirit Award nomination for the Someone To Watch Award and its National Board of Review designation as one of 2022's Top 10 Independent Films, "Nanny" fails on countless fronts. But I suppose that shouldn't come as any surprise these days given the unremarkable state of this once-venerated film genre. Horror films just ain't what they used to be, and this one again proves just that.

You've been separate from your son nearly a year, by an ocean that is wide and so austere, but you've managed to compose, started looking after Rose, with a family, who seem to be sincere. It's not too long before you struggle to get through, the guardian back home is engaged and eschews, it starts to play tricks with your mind, you find it hard to rest, unwind, while the parents take advantage over you.

Definitely not a horror film, but an innovative and imaginative insight into the psychology of a mother who loses contact with her young son, who she has left to build a new life in America for, while preparing for him to join her when the time is right. Anna Diop is outstanding, the interpretation challenging at times, the ending a little bizarre, but certainly something to get you thinking about, from a writer and director who clearly has some creativity.

This movie looked great in the opening scenes. Creepy house , weird silent monotone Child, clearly dysfunctional couple, sweet innocent immigrant nanny - all a recipe for disaster. But literally nothing happens . At all . There's a lot of dark , supposedly suspenseful sequences that are probably the "horror" element of the movie , but I don't really understand why this movie won any awards at all . It's perhaps too deep for someone without a degree in film appreciation, to actually enjoy, but the distinct feeling this movie leaves you with is akin to watching something you really want to eat, cook in the oven, only to be severely disappointed when you actually take a bite .

I really enjoyed this movie and don't understand all of the negative reviews and the low star ratings. Perhaps, the horror and thriller labels lead viewers astray because at its core, this movie is a drama with some thriller elements. Drama-Thriller would be more accurate, to describe the main character's storyline. A mother, who travels across the world to make a new home for her young son, Lamine. Anna Diop is incredible in this role, her acting is paramount and the artful cinematography highlights her unwavering beauty. An unthinkable tragedy strikes our main character in the end, as she struggles to come to grips with her new life, a life that looks very different than the one she envisioned.

Nikyatu Jusu's debut boasts a distinct visual style that works in its favor. While the writing in the final act and the predictable twist leave much to be desired, Nanny never falls short of engaging. It is led by a committed Anna Diop performance, and significantly aided by the sharp commentary on migrant issues, trauma, and African folklore. While Aisha (Diop) is well-written and performed, the other characters are found wanting. I thought Michelle Monaghan's character had a lot more to contribute to the story than just being a burnt-out, rich mommy. Turns out, the plot was simpler than you believed it to be. The truth about Aisha's son is something anyone can anticipate mid-way into the film, and it doesn't startle at all. Neither does the "Mami Wata" aspect acquire a more wholesome shape.

But, in essence, the film also gets some little details right. There's the banter between Aisha and Malik that's always interesting to listen to. We also get quick "life updates" whenever Aisha visits her regular money transfer service. I also liked how the intensity (and duration) of Aisha's nightmarish visions escalated each time. The film also duly acknowledges the struggles of nannies including not being paid on time and also, frequently overworking them. It's just that Jusu presents a lot of promising elements in the film, but they don't all come together as spectacularly as I'd have liked. But whatever shes does next will be exciting to keep an eye on!

This is a nanny drama movie. Maayyybe you can pull it out of your ass and call it a thriller. But this doesn't even get close to be called horror. Add to this extremely boring plot and mediocre acting and you've gotten yourself Nanny.

The trailer was misleading too. I certainly expected more scared or at least a decent atmosphere. But there were none of these whatsoever. Not even a sign of horror until 3/4 of the movie in.

Just ditch this garbage and call it a day. Forget the day you've heard about this and pretend it's a nightmare. Uwe Boll makes masterpieces compared to this pile of hot mess.

As "Nanny" (2022 release; 100 min) opens, we are introduced to Aisha, a woman from Senegal, as she is starting her first day as a nanny for an upper-class New York family. Aisha immediately builds a strong bond with Rose, the 5 yo daughter. In a parallel story line, Aisha face-times with her 7 yo son, whom she plans on bringing over to the US as soon as possible. At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the feature length debut of writer-director Nikyatu Jusu. Going into the movie, I was expecting a racially-laden drama (black nanny to rich white family), and there are certainly elements of that. But along the way the movie morphs into something different altogether, much to my surprise (hint: Blumhouse is one of the production companies behind this movie). The less revealed of the plot-heavy direction, the better. Anna Diop is outstanding as Aisha, and is featured in virtually every frame of the movie. Kudos also to Tanerélle and Bartek Gliniak for creating a moody original score that fits the movie perfectly. In all, this is a promising feature length debut from Nikyatu Jusu, and I can't wait to see what she will do next.

"Nanny" premiered at this year's Sundance film festival to immediate acclaim (winning one of the festival's major awards), sparring a bidding war for the distribution rights (eventually won by Amazon Prime). The movie is currently rated 89% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason. After a short US theatrical release, "Nanny" started streaming on Prime this weekend. I just watched it last night. If you are in the mood for something different than the umpteenth Marvel superhero release, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

The truth about this movie is that it was well written, well cast, and well acted. So what's the problem right?... the ending. I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't seen it but I liked this movie all the way until the last 2 minutes. Maybe I'm being harsh but I just didn't understand why they went that route. Like I say in every review, you should judge for yourself. Every interpretation is different and unique to that viewer. My interpretation is that they ruined a pretty good movie with that ending. AND they swept my legs out from under me too. It's unfortunate. I really wanted to like it.

Saw this back at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

Horror elements about immigrants and culture is quite interesting. It's not often we see these themes and categories play together in a film in recent time. Nanny contains a really intriguing narrative about immigration, babysitting, and culture that is filled with interesting aspects of terror, great performances from the cast especially Anna Diop, and some really beautiful camerawork displayed. Some great production designs and there is one particular costume moment that caught me off guard in a good way. This is director's Nikyatu Jusu first feature I believe and for a first time, she proves that she has something to offer in the upcoming future. The characters were really interesting and they all have a purpose to serve throughout this movie.

While the movie is insightful, the horror elements didn't really work well at times. The movie has been described as a horror movie but it really felt more like a psychological drama movie. The horror elements did end up becoming stale and unnecessary at times. This is a problem because it ends up becoming repetitive and too much to carry on and this could lead the audiences to be annoyed or tiring to focus on. Some of the music could be better as it didn't really fit the tone of the movie at times.

Despite it's flaws, director Nikyatu Jusu shows talent throughout this movie and I look forward to see what she comes up with next.

Although this is labeled as a horror movie, I would rather put it more as a mistery/thriller. The director has found an interesting way to portray the difficulties of immigrant lives , especially the women immigrants which this movie is all about. If u lower your expectations and watch this movie for what it presents, you'll get a decent watch, if you expect something outstanding well, this one isn't that. There is an excellent twist towards the end and the ending itself, however if you are a huge filmophile and watch movies of this genres regularly you will probably see it coming. If you are a fan of Anna Diop or Michelle Monaghan you can expect good performances(although I expected a bit more than a side role for Michelle).

Nanny (2022) is a movie that was recently released to Amazon Prime. The storyline follows a single mother from Africa who comes to America to become a Nanny and raise enough money to have her son join her in the States. She's a live in Nanny and the couple she works for is amazed at her work as a nanny but often misses payments and/or struggles to pay her. Meanwhile as she tries to adjust to the United States she starts dating and meets a nice man from Africa with a mother with special powers. The mother warns the young lady that she sees something in the lady, a truth that needs to be faced...but what can this mean?

This movie is directed by Nikyatu Jusu (Two Second Horror Stories) in her directorial debut and stars Anna Diop (Titans), Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone), Morgan Spector (Homeland) and Sinqua Walls (Teen Wolf).

Amazon Prime and IMDb has this listed as a horror film but I found it more of a drama with a handful of horror elements. The writing is really good with interesting characters, unique storylines and subplots, and well written dialogue that felt authentic. The gifted mother was creepy at times. The acting is excellent and the the awkwardness of certain interactions was perfectly portrayed. The love story was well done too and their conversations and situations felt realistic. I also liked how they portrayed how various characters adjusted to coming to the US as well as their lifestyle and perspectives once here. The ending has a great twist and is very well done but didn't "shock me" as much as the director intended.

Overall, this is a unique picture with a unique storyline and limited horror elements. I'd score this a 7/10 and recommend seeing it once.

Many bad and boring movies have been made this year, But this is one of the more boring and lame movies. You should think, that Amazon and Blumhouse could make something truly great. A great horror movie. And then they produce this utter crap. Its boring from start to end and you soon loose interest in watching this boring trash. The movie try to explore the anansi african folklore but doesn't explain it enough to the viewer for it to make sense. Instead it gets boring and confusing. And for a Blumhouse movie, there is very little to no horror. Complete waste of time. Time to quit Amazon Prime.

This is a movie that I got turned on thanks to Sundance. I saw this was a horror film that played there and even won an award. Due to this, I put it on a list of movies to check out for the year if it got released widely. When I saw that this was playing at the Gateway Film Center, I decided to check it out.

Synopsis: immigrant nanny Aisha (Anna Diop), piecing together a new life in New York City while caring for the child of an Upper East Side family is confronted with concealed truths that threaten to shatter her precarious American Dream.

To elaborate a bit more, our main character is Aisha. Through conversations over FaceTime on her phone she had to leave her son with a family member back in Senegal. I believe it is Mariatou (Olamide Candide-Johnson) and her son is Lamine (Jahleel Kamara). Aisha is living with her aunt who is helping her get on her feet in America and to save money.

At the beginning of this movie, she is going to a job interview as a nanny. Entering the building she meets the security guard at the front desk who is Malik (Sinqua Walls). He's interested in her and she puts that down gently. The mother who is interviewing her for the job is Amy (Michelle Monaghan). Aisha would be watching Rose (Rose Decker) who is her daughter. Amy is working in the corporate world and is the main source of income. Her husband seems to be a journalist or a photographer who is sent around the world. His name is Adam (Morgan Spector) and in the beginning is away. Things are difficult for Amy and she is doing what she can.

Aisha and Rose get along well. Things seem to be working in Aisha's favor, except they get weird. She has what appear to be vivid dreams about water. It becomes more difficult to talk to her son or even get ahold of her family member. Amy and Adam are also having marital problems, but they aren't acknowledging it. Aisha gets pulled into that. She is also working over her hours and not being paid for it. Amy is neglecting in managing these finances. This is just the beginning though. There could be a supernatural entity coming after Aisha and Rose seems to notice as well.

That is where I'm going to leave fleshing out the synopsis and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that having now watched this, I see why this played at Sundance. There is the story that we are getting at the surface and there is more than that going on underneath. It has implied as well as explicit ideas that it explores. That is something that I can appreciate.

Where I want to start then would be with our lead, Aisha. She came from Africa and trying to make enough money to bring her son over. What I like is that the more we learn about her, the more human she is. Over in Senegal, she was a teacher. She had an affair with a married man who didn't want her to have the child. She is a strong independent woman so she didn't need him. This gets interesting when she interacts with Amy. The latter doesn't see her as an equal. I like that the backstory to Aisha gets revealed slowly. The movie is playing on biases. Amy works in the corporate world where Aisha is working as her nanny. There is more to Aisha though. Amy's life is spiraling, despite the façade she is portraying. I like the dichotomy here though of a worker and the neglect of Rose.

Another idea that I want to shift over to is that of capitalism. Amy as I've laid out represents the corporate world. It is interesting is that she is not paying Aisha for all the hours she works. We learn through dialogue that Amy and Adam have overextended themselves to show their status and privilege. This is creating problems for Aisha who needs the money to bring her son to America. I like that we see both sides have problems, despite the status they portray.

Going along with this idea that I've presented, there are multiple people that tell Aisha that she cannot work all day, every day. She needs to take care of herself. Aisha opens her heart to Malik and I think the nightmares as well as visions she has are guilt. She is working toward a purpose but losing sight for her own needs. Aisha is hard on herself. She shouldn't feel guilty though. She is doing what she can. On the other side, Amy works hard and does what she can to fit in. Then we have Adam who seems to be having affairs. He also refuses responsibilities. This is a powerful message for sure being present through each of these characters.

The last thing then that I need to go into for the story is with the supernatural aspects. This introduces lore from west Africa. There is a myth about mermaids and this incorporates into the nightmares that Aisha has. The movie also pulls in a children's story about a spider. Adam gets the book on his trip for Rose. Aisha reads it to her. We see aspects of both the story and the lore play out. The question is if they are real or not. Aisha blacks out when they happen. She also is stressed. That with her not taking care of herself could make her have a breakdown. I like that this is left up to us. I don't think everything she sees is real. Rose makes comments though so I think there is something supernatural happening still.

I think that should be enough for the story that I wanted to go into. I'll take this to the acting. Our star here is Diop and I think she's good in her portrayal. I love the different layers that brings to the role. There are waves of things she goes through which makes her feel real. As her main 'adversary', I think that Monaghan is good. They are mirrors of each other. One seems to have the perfect life, but she is struggling. The other on the outside doesn't and yet, better equipped at the things she does. I like this. Walls is solid as a truly good guy where Spector seems good but has flaws. I liked Decker as the little girl. The rest of the cast rounded this out and pushes our leads to where they end up.

The last things to go into would be with the filmmaking. The first thing I'll say is that this is well-made. The cinematography looks great. We get good looking shots. To go along with that, they do interesting things with the lighting at times. There are effects here. I could tell there was CGI, but that looked good. They also use soft focus where Aisha thinks she sees something, but that might not be real. That is good to make us as a viewer to question along with her. Other than that, I think the soundtrack and design of the movie worked for what was needed. I do have a negative though. This movie is a slow-burn and I felt the runtime. I understand what they're doing here and I think it is effective. My issue is just that there felt like wasted time that could be trimmed to tighten it up. This doesn't ruin it, but I lost interest until the reveal. That was heartbreaking and made me tear up. I will give credit there.

In conclusion, this is a good movie. I wasn't the biggest fan upon leaving the cinema. Now that I've sat with it, I can see what they were doing. I think that this explores interesting ideas. The acting is good which creates strong characters. Special credit to Diop and Monaghan. The rest push them to where they end up. I think that this is a well-made movie. There is beautiful cinematography, the effects are solid and the soundtrack worked. My biggest issue is just that the pacing is a bit off and it runs too long. Other than that, I would recommend giving this a viewing for horror and horror fans alike.

My Rating: 8 out of 10.

"Nanny" is a visually striking film that offers a poignant and deeply personal look at the American immigrant experience through the eyes of its lead character, Aisha. Anna Diop delivers a powerful and versatile performance as Aisha, a Senegalese woman working as a nanny in New York City while trying to save money to bring her young son to the United States. The film's use of color and lighting is particularly striking, rendering Black skin beautifully and creating a contrast between the warmth and culture of Aisha's home and the cold, brutalist architecture of the city.

However, the film is not without its flaws. The inclusion of poor CGI horror elements feels forced and out of place, and the narrative often becomes disjointed and distracts from the central focus on Aisha. Additionally, the script spends too much time exploring side characters that ultimately don't deserve our interest, taking away from the impact of Aisha's story. Despite these weaknesses, "Nanny" is ultimately a moving and empathetic portrayal of the American immigrant experience, anchored by Diop's strong performance and the film's beautiful cinematography.

My God what a steaming pile of unwatchable garbage this is.

It's neither scary, interesting or intriguing. Typical case of lots of time spent on cinematography and pretty shots. Zero time working on a script.

I can't believe someone actually paid to get this made. There's no real story. Just a bunch of scenes stuck together. The characters are dull, one dimensional and uninteresting. You don't care about any of them.

The attempt to try and use sounddesign to make this slog of a film seem scary is a failed one as well. Using music for jump scares, and a barrage of min stop low end tones, is straight op pathetic Next time the director should try writing a cohesive script.

Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Nikyatu Jusu is a supernatural psychological thriller that may or may not belong in the horror genre. It's filled with original concepts, innovative camera shots, and a truly powerful lead performance. Despite all it has going for it, the film never quite gels for us, instead creating a bit of confusion as to whether it was trying to make a point or not.

Anna Diop (US, 2019) stars as Aisha. She seizes the role from her first scene and never relinquishes control. Aisha is an immigrant from Senegal who has come to the United States for a better life. She left her son behind in the home country until she can send for him. Aisha is educated and overqualified for the domestic help job she takes for a couple in a swanky Manhattan apartment. However, she's committed to doing what she must to reunite with her son Lamine, whom she sees on FaceTime. Rose (Rose Spector) is the young girl she is hired to look after, and her parents are Amy (Michelle Monaghan), an anxiety-filled working mom trying to ascend the corporate ladder, and Adam (Morgan Spector), a photojournalist who thinks he can relate to Aisha's background. Amy and Adam have a strained relationship, and neither seems keen to be a parent to Rose.

We witness Aisha's ease with Rose, as well as the tension she has with Amy and Adam who seem to take advantage of her in every possible way - including slow payment, cheating her on hours worked, last minute schedule changes, and even invading her personal space. All of this builds in Aisha to the point where her dreams/nightmares/daydreams become a real issue. Water is featured heavily, and we initially relate this to her feeling like she is drowning in the frustrating situation. However soon African folklore enters with spiders and mermaids, and the visions become more alarming. We realize the water has more significance.

The use of color is startling. Aisha's workplace (the apartment) is washed out gray with cold stone surfaces, while her personal time features vibrant primary colors and music. A sweet romance with Malik (Sinqua Walls), the doorman, provides Aisha with hope. Unfortunately, the psychological character study that has been building through most of the film turns to mostly horror in the final act. The film excels, as does Ms. Diop, when the stress and tension and frustrations of the real world are in the forefront. Still, despite the often bumpy storylines, Aisha's character and the visuals in the film provide high expectations for Nikyatu Jusu as a filmmaker, and announces Anna Diop as a true leading actor.

Opens on December 2, 2022.