Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Play trailer 2:23 Poster for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Released Mar 1, 2019 1h 53m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
A 13-year-old boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. He sneaks into the library and learns how to build a windmill to save his village from a famine.
Watch on Netflix Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind earns its predictably uplifting arc through strong performances and impressive work from debuting director Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (66) Critics Reviews
Atavia Reed Chicago Reader Ejiofor captures perfectly the heart of a town struggling to prosper, a family fighting to survive, and a young boy who just wants to keep the world as he knows it alive and well. Feb 21, 2020 Full Review Adam Woodward Little White Lies This is a promising debut from Ejiofor - and further proof of Netflix's willingness to invest in stories which other studios might deem less commercially viable. Mar 13, 2019 Full Review Tim Grierson Screen International Chronicling how an impoverished African family perseveres during hardship, The Boy speaks eloquently about the importance of education and the need for sons to surpass their fathers. Mar 13, 2019 Full Review Aaron Charles InSession Film This is a feel-good film, yes, but it is also much more than that. There are painful moments along with the joyful ones. Rated: A- May 10, 2024 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies A beautiful and at times heartbreaking slice of real life. Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 19, 2022 Full Review Nicolás Delgadillo Discussing Film An emotional display of the power of human ingenuity and what people can accomplish in trying times, and it's Ejiofor's script that sets the film apart from other similar inspirational biopics. Jun 25, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (92) audience reviews
Dark R This movie was amazing! It started kinda slow but then immediately drew you into the story! The plot was very well put together, and the actors were emotionally involving! I definitely would recommend this movie! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/07/24 Full Review Kal S A beautiful film, probably best enjoyed without knowing what it’s all leading to. In other words, forget the title, and don't watch the Ted Talk beforehand. (2/9/2019) Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/23/24 Full Review Thalys R O filme têm uma temática muito boa, com uma produção e um roteiro bem encaixado. A obra consegue demonstrar toda a crítica em razão aos desastres ambientais, fome e política. A atuação dos personagens principais está impecável em razão dos personagens que foram apresentados. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/16/24 Full Review Audience Member Wonderful story. A must see movie Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/15/23 Full Review Samuel F It's a emotional drama and hava a little suspense. It's starring Maxuel Simba, a brilliant actor who play the boy harnessed the wind. It takes place is Malaui early 2001. the movie is abot the life of a family in Africa and a inteigent boy who harnessed the wind. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/30/23 Full Review Ashlea-Jae M i think the movie could be more interesting but other wise, its perfectly fine. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Mail Order Monster 100% 61% Mail Order Monster Watchlist Driveways 99% 84% Driveways Watchlist Schemers 43% % Schemers Watchlist TRAILER for Schemers Uncorked 94% 63% Uncorked Watchlist TRAILER for Uncorked Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis A 13-year-old boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. He sneaks into the library and learns how to build a windmill to save his village from a famine.
Director
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Producer
Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan
Screenwriter
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Distributor
Netflix
Production Co
Potboiler Productions, BBC Films, Participant Media, BFI Film Fund
Genre
Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 1, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2019
Runtime
1h 53m
Most Popular at Home Now