Movie Review: Tsotsi

Title: Tsotsi

Starring: Presley Chweneyagae, Terry Pheto, 'Zola' Bonginkosi Dlamini


Director: Gavin Hood

Producer: Peter Fudakowski

Year: 2005

Genre: Crime drama

Language: Tsotsitaal, or a "thug lingo," is a patois language common to certain South African provinces. It is also the language predominately spoken in this film, although English subtitles are available
source

Country: South Africa

Website: http://www.tsotsi.com/english/index.php

Trailer:



Preamble: South African Academy award winning movie 2005.

Story: Tsotsi (played by Presley) is a thug . He and his band of merry men go around wreaking havoc and fear. He lives in one of SA’s townships, a life , that is in the words of Hobbs “short, nasty and brutish”. After killing a man and getting into a fight with one of his henchman, he steals a car from a woman and shoots her when she tries to stop him. He is long gone before he realizes that her baby is in the car. How does this hardened criminal respond to a baby? Does he give him back, feed him or kill him?

REVIEW
Positives: Of course it won an academy award. What a beautiful movie – picture quality, acting, story, everything. Dang!! It tells a difficult story of the path to degeneracy – explores his past and his present in gritty detail. It’s a powerful story of crime and humanity all rolled up in one package. I could talk about the acting, the attention to detail the beautiful music, the fantastic picture quality! I could talk a lot, but I won’t. It’s a beautiful movie. It’s a thought provoking movie. Highly recommended.

Negatives: Unlike many of the movies I review here, I don’t have that much to complain about. In terms of taking care of business, the filmmakers did an exceptional job. However, the story – particularly the ending, was a little too cute for me. Once Tsotsi became involved with the baby, the story appeared to lose its authenticity for me. The story is based on the book with the same name by Athol Fugard. It was published in 1980. So perhaps Tsotsi’s journey made more sense in the book. In the film, it just seemed a little too fantastic, too hopeful so to speak, considering his antecedents. My other complaint was the police pair. They just appeared to be very mismatched, and what police officer raids a shanty house and asks an informant barkeeper to watch his car? That just seemed weird to me.
And of course, there is the stereotypical idea of the black criminal.

Aside from that though, spectacular production. Brought the grittiness of the shanties to life. So beautifully done. Makes you think, as the director said in the “Making part of the dvd” , there but for the grace of GOD goes I.

Clearly of international standard.

Worldview: Nobody is beyond redemption. Everyone has a story and somewhere deep down, a heart. It just takes the right circumstances to bring it out.

Other Reviews: The movie was widely reviewed. Just google it and knock yourself out. Here are a few here and here.

Availability: I borrowed mine from my public library. It was released in the US, so I bet you can find it anywhere you find American movies.

Enjoy.