Queen of Katwe (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 26 nominations
Queen of Katwe is a feel-good movie of uncommon smarts and passion, and outstanding performances by Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo help to elevate the film past its cliches.
Queen of Katwe is a heartwarming and inspiring film that will leave you feeling uplifted and motivated. The performances by David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o are truly touching, and Mira Nair’s direction captures the vibrant colors and rhythms of life in the slums of Uganda. While the film may have some cliches, it still manages to subvert others and earn every ounce of its feel-good finish. It’s a crowd-pleasing tear-jerker that will have you rooting for Phiona and all those who have found themselves in similar situations. Plus, who doesn’t love a good underdog chess movie?
Production Company(ies)
Brooksfilms
Distributor
Walt Disney
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Kampala, Uganda
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic elements, an accident scene and some suggestive material
Year of Release
2016
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 4m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 2016 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 31, 2017
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
Queen of Katwe, starring Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, directed by Mira Nair, written by William Wheeler, produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher and John B Carls, biography, drama, PG rating, box office gross of $8.9M, reviewed by Stephanie Abraham, Candice Frederick, Aramide Tinubu, Danny Leigh, Sandra Hall, Sandy Cohen, Brian Eggert, Jennifer Merin, Kip Mooney, Michael J Casey, Richard Crouse, many others, Walt Disney distributor, Dolby Atmos sound mix, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio, chess, poverty, Uganda, Katwe, Robert Katende, missionary, slum, competition, tournaments, school, family, thematic elements, inspiring, heart-wrenching, feel-good, passion, uncommon smarts, outstanding performances, cliches, minorities, true story, riskiest project, tear-jerker, Disney production, Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo’s performances, Madina Nalwanga’s breakout performance, Mira Nair’s first English-speaking film, beautiful landscapes, hardships of life, documentary-like, inspiring, engrossing, family-friendly, predictable, bad audio, continuity errors, hammy dialogue, bizarre cinematography, poor acting, chess tournaments, poverty, escape from poverty
Worldwide gross: $10,367,161
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $12,777,511
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,889
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,393,404
US/Canada gross: $8,874,389
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $10,937,672
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,592
US/Canada opening weekend: $304,933
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $375,829
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,472
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $18,487,478
Production budget ranking: 1,405
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,955,507
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$15,665,475
ROI to date (est.): -55%
ROI ranking: 1,718
David Oyelowo – Robert Katende
Lupita Nyong’o – Harriet Mutesi
Martin Kabanza – Mugabi Brian
Taryn Kyaze – Night
Ronald Ssemaganda – Ivan
Director(s)
Mira Nair
Writer(s)
William Wheeler
Producer(s)
Lydia Dean Pilcher, John B. Carls
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 26 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (191) | Top Critics (67) | Fresh (179) | Rotten (12)
Queen of Katwe is still a bright addition to Disney’s roster. As audiences and actors demand more complex roles for people of color, let’s hope we see more groundbreaking projects like this one.
March 1, 2021
Stephanie Abraham
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Oyelowo and Nyong’o’s performances temper the film with heart-wrenching emotion. And Mira Nair’s touching portrait of Katwe’s inspiring young queen with a dream is one to remember.
March 22, 2017 | Rating: A
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
Overall, the film is not without its flaws. However, in the end, you aren’t just rooting for Phiona, but also for all of those who have found themselves in similar situations.
January 23, 2017
Aramide Tinubu
Shadow and Act
TOP CRITIC
For every clich the film indulges, another is skirted, and another subverted. By the end, every ounce of feelgood is deserved.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Danny Leigh
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
When the feel good finish rolls round, you feel it’s been fully earned.
December 9, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
The colors and rhythms of life in the slums of Uganda are what set Queen of Katwe apart from other underdog chess movies.
October 24, 2016
Sandy Cohen
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
The film plucks our heartstrings and, despite our awareness of its manipulative formula and inherent melodrama, it nonetheless accomplishes everything the story sets out to do with impressive precision.
April 11, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
With great truth-based story in the hands of a brilliant woman director, this film brings women into their rightful place in moviemaking.
November 4, 2021
Jennifer Merin
AWFJ Women on Film
While there’s no points for originality, Queen of Katwe still scores a win.
August 28, 2021 | Rating: B+
Kip Mooney
College Movie Review
A crowd-pleasing tear-jerker of the highest accord.
June 21, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
Director Mira Nair rings every ounce of emotion from the inspirational story.
March 1, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
Even at its most exhilarating, it never loses its restraint. It works wonderfully well both as a human drama and a sports film.
July 24, 2020
Saibal Chatterjee
NDTV…
Plot
Living in Katwe, a slum in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona, her mother Nakku Harriet, and her younger family members. She and her younger brother help their mother sell maize in the market. She also helps care for her baby brother. Her world changes the day she meets Robert Katende at a missionary program. Katende coaches soccer and teaches children to play chess at a local center. Curious, Phiona visits the center, learns the game, and becomes fascinated with it. She becomes a top player in the group under Katende’s guidance.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o are both “touching” and bring an air of maturity to the film, according to critic reviews on Fresh Kernels.
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