‘Simple As Water’: The Strength Of Family Endures In The Aftermath Of War [Tribeca Review]

Much can be said about Megan Mylan’s latest documentary “Simple As Water.” Yet, as its title insinuates, the film succeeds in its calculated minimalism. Cataloging the plight of four Syrian families in the aftermath of war, Mylan’s heartfelt exploration of human strife infuses informative insight with harrowing revelations. Still, it maintains an acutely cinematic approach to its narrative, a feat that separates the film from most modern documentaries.

Devoid of talking heads or intrusive emotional manipulation, “Simple As Water” adopts an observational yet emotionally rooted elegance throughout. By fusing an admirably refined understanding of cinematic language with a focused thematic thesis, Mylan —an Academy Award winner for the 2008 documentary short “Smile Pinki”—strives to reveal the undeniably bleak yet patently hopeful reality of Syrian refugees. As the audience journeys across the globe, the documentary features five segments: Turkey, Greece, the United States, Syria, and Germany serving as the backdrops for the segments respectively—“Simple As Water” never diverts from its intimate tone despite its scale of storytelling.

Daily mundanity supplants grand sweeping showcases of emotion but retains an equally resonant impact on the viewer. For better and worse, “Simple As Water” never permits the audience to step outside of the reality of the situation, which equips the doc with a politically minded drive—one that quietly calls out the privilege of its first-world viewers without directly addressing the aforementioned party in an aggressive fashion.

Conversely, an examination of family climbs to the top of the documentary’s goals. Sacrifice, hope, and transformation interweave into a neatly composed collage that showcases the endurance of familial devotion amidst crushing circumstances—a mother’s love for her children supersedes her own wellbeing, brotherly devotion incurs a strive towards greatness, and a reunion rewards a father’s patience with his loved ones. Accompanied only by the occasional musical contribution from composer and Terrence Malick collaborator Hanan Townshend, “Simple As Water” allows its visuals and oft-silent moments to speak for themselves, promoting genuine reactions as opposed to manufactured sentimentality.

Nevertheless, “Simple As Water” stumbles where it also succeeds. The documentary’s adherence to its slice-of-life style and prolonged sequences undercuts its effectiveness overall. As a result, when paired with its near-episodic narrative, certain segments frequently lapse into stagnation and showcase hints of underdevelopment due to their incapacity to progress the film on a thematic level. Thus, although “Simple As Water” successfully communicates its message with clarity and class, its flaws deprive the work from administering significant long-lasting resonance with the audience.

Even so, compiling the documentary’s successes in comparison to its flaws clearly favors the former. In a vast sea of tasteless or mishandled cinematic nonfiction, “Simple As Water” displays the voice of a talented filmmaker, exhibits a potently important topic, and shines a light on the international plight of families who deserve to be admired for their courage. [B]

Follow along with all our 2021 Tribeca Film Festival coverage here.