Tsotsi – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominations – G – Gavin Hood’s Tsotsi – Movie Review
Director: Gavin Hood
Writer: Gavin Hood (Screenplay)
Writer: Athol Fugard (Novel)
Cast
- Presley Chweneyagae
- Mothusi Magano
- Israel Matseke-Zulu
- Terry Pheto
- Kenneth Nkosi
Plot: Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader.
Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Tsotsi starts as a gang running around Johannesburg causing trouble and sees them go too far. They leave a man dead, and Tsotsi (Cheweneyagae) goes off to reflect and steals a car from a lady. He is unaware there is a baby in the backseat and he can’t return the baby without being caught.
Tsotsi is forced to care for the baby he isn’t prepared to care for. Turning to a local woman Miriam (Pheto) with a new-born baby. In the next few days, Tsotsi must learn what it is to be responsible for more than just himself and decide if he wants to clean up his act or not.
Verdict on Tsotsi
Tsotsi is an Oscar-winning crime drama following a member of a gang who needs to learn to grow up after being left in possession of a baby. It is an amazing coming-of-age tale that shows the struggles in the South African areas. How poverty often leads to children needing to fight for themselves to survive, explains why they fall into the wrong gangs.
The performances are brilliant, with Presley Chweneyagae shining in the leading role of the movie. It leaves you wondering why people are placed into such horrendous living conditions but shows the big heart of the people who learn to change.
Final Thoughts – Tsotsi is a brilliant drama that fully deserved the Oscar it won.
