I finished watching a drama film called The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019) based on the true story of how William Kamkwamba built a windmill to pump groundwater out of a well, allowing the planting of crops during the dry season and saving his town from starvation.

I liked how the film showed the difficultly Kamkwamba’s family encountered in providing education for their children, both from internal and external stresses. For example, in one part of the film the father feels like pursuing education for their children was a mistake because it led to his daughter eloping with the teacher. Another is how the school system requires its students to pay fees, which the family fails to pay, eventually resulting in William Kamkwamba’s expulsion when he is found going to class anyway.

However, one thing about the film I disliked was how the father’s rejection of his son’s request to use his bike isn’t explained. I don’t feel like the movie made it clear why his father was so adamant that his son’s desire to build a windmill to bring water for the crops should not be pursued. So, when the father eventually changes his tune, it feels like it’s just happening for plot reasons rather than some kind of turmoil being resolved.