When you think of Hurricane Katrina, you might think about the Superdome or Anderson Cooper on a boat.
But how about this 24-year-old aspiring rapper who never left the 9th Ward: She films the storm while trapped in her attic, water rising, neighbors screaming, and no help in sight.
Trailer for “Trouble the Water”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Kimberly films the storm while trapped in her attic, water rising, neighbors screaming, and no help in sight.
- She confronts a National Guardsman who turns away survivors looking for food and water, on camera.
Watch “Trouble the Water”
You can stream “Trouble the Water” for free on Kanopy or Hoopla, or rent it on Amazon Video and Apple TV. You can find all streaming options here.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 87/100 (Users); 96/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Tia Lessin and Carl Deal co-directed this 90-minute doc. They’ve both worked on “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine” with Michael Moore. This was their directorial debut, and it earned them an Oscar nomination.
Release Date: January 18, 2008 (Sundance Film Festival); Limited theatrical release later that year.
My Review of “Trouble the Water”
The Setup
Kimberly Rivers Roberts bought a $20 camcorder just days before Hurricane Katrina hit.
When the levees broke, she didn’t just run—she recorded.
Her camera captures the eerie quiet before the storm, the panic of rising floodwaters, and the moment she and Scott climb into their attic for survival.
This is Katrina from the inside. No media filter. No agenda. Just survival in real time.
More Highlights from the Doc
- The couple are “self-described street hustlers” turned community leaders, handing out supplies and shelter in the aftermath.
- The documentary opens with Kimberly rapping over her own storm footage. Her lyrics are raw, defiant, and completely gripping.
- The directors, Carl Deal and Tia Lessin (both worked on “Fahrenheit 9/11”), stitch Kimberly’s hand-held camcorder footage into a larger indictment of the government’s failure—and the strength of the community left behind.
- Kimberly and Scott rescue elderly neighbors using a borrowed boat.
- The government’s failure becomes even more obvious as FEMA, police, and the military disappear during the worst of it.
- The couple’s relocation to Memphis shows how displacement disrupted not just housing—but identity and community.
- Kimberly’s freestyle raps and charisma make her the emotional center of the film. One minute she’s cracking jokes, the next she’s crying at the destruction.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Kimberly was 24 at the time and had never filmed anything before buying that $20 camera at a corner store.
- The filmmakers spent two years following Kimberly and Scott after the storm—showing their path to rebuild a life from scratch.
- The title “Trouble the Water” comes from a gospel song about transformation and rebirth—fitting for the arc of the film.
- During the storm, Kimberly’s dog was swept away in the floodwaters. She tells the story with heartbreaking calm.
- In one scene, a man who hijacked a school bus to evacuate kids from the neighborhood says, “They said it was looting. I call it surviving.”
Wrap Up
“Trouble the Water” turns a home video into a story of survival, justice, and redemption. This doc is about a hurricane and about what America lets happen when no one’s watching.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc