Every family has its secrets. Pretending like they don’t has heartwarmingly held households together since the beginning of time. Parents hide from their children, and vice versa, and spouses say nothing in their vows about speaking the truth. In Stew Peas, one family has their bonds tested when their new helper starts to expose the cracks in their family’s foundation.

Written and directed by Sossiessia Nixon-Kelly, Stew Peas is the latest addition to the library of Jamaican cinema. The family of main characters is played by several first-time actors, including social media influencer Kerry-Ann “Chiney K” Collins, playing the matriarch Tessa, who doubles as the lead detective in the film’s murder conspiracy. Tessa’s character in the film examines the role of a mother and wife who dares to have a career of her own. Her devotion to her work is met with disdain by her family, who would rather she learn to cook a decent meal, even as she works through the trauma of losing her closest friend. It’s a role with many dimensions, and Collins plays it with class. 

Father to the family of three is Tarique Barrett as Neil, the husband/entrepreneur who yearns for the slightest crumb of affection from his wife, all the while undercutting her parenting of their daughter Nira, played by Shernet Swearine. For a performer so young, Swearine plays her role with nuance, displaying a firm grasp on her character, jumping from obnoxious to sympathetic in no time at all. 

Quera South steals the show as Marcia. The film keeps the audience on its toes as Marcia plays the part of a helper, a seductress, a mentor, a friend, a hero, and a villain. There’s an element of unpredictability that’s wonderfully brought forth in South’s performance. Each glance tells a story, and the delivery of her lines as either patois or standard English informs her character. 

It’s all very thrilling, especially as the family dynamic plays out. Stew Peas takes a sharp turn in the second half, as the title comes into play. The film explores the popular culinary legend of tying a man with specific ingredients in the titular dish. There’s a suggestion of mysticism at play, but it’s hidden in fact, with the audience never quite knowing if you’re seeing the result of an act of magic or the result of untreated mental illness.

Stew Peas is a film that’s not without its faults. The sound effects are louder than the exposition-heavy dialogue, and the family story is far more interesting than the murder mystery, not to mention the film’s ending has some head-scratching conclusions to the plot.

Despite its issues, Stew Peas is an entertaining thrill ride. It gets you invested in the characters and how they’ll fare by the end. It’s also a story told with confidence, adding some much-needed diversity to the existing library of Jamaican films, with a folklore-laden story of a family torn asunder by the very rock upon which they built their house.

Rating: High Half Price