Tsotsi is a deep and touching film which makes you think! (Tsotsi (DVD))

Member Name: KennyWalker

Product:	Tsotsi (DVD)
Date:	31/03/09 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well made, well written, outstanding cast performances, excellent music

Disadvantages: Some bits confusing

Tsotsi is an academy award winning African film set in the poor slummy streets of Johannesburg, Africa.
The film focuses on such issues as poverty, gang crime and moral decency.


When I found out we were studying this film in Film Studies class, I didn't know what to think of it. I knew Tsotsi was an African film and not a Hollywood one so I didn't know what to think, id never seen an African made film before and had no idea what the film was going to be like. The film follows a young man in his early 20's who goes by the name Tsotsi, which can be translated into thug. He is a tough, hard gang leader who doesn't seem to care about anything he does, killing people like cutting paper. His world changes upside down when he accidentally kidnaps a baby after stealing a car and shooting its mother. The mother survives but is severely wounded and Tsotsi, with the baby to look after, is gradually changed for the better.

First we watched the trailer, immediately I got the sense of a strong powerful well made film. From the very first moment I saw them poor homeless children in them tubes, to seeing a gangster thug ending up with a baby in the back of his stolen car, I knew this was going to be some good stuff. We began watching Tsotsi about a fortnight ago on the Monday and finished on the Tuesday, I have to admit, in-between seeing the first half and second half, I couldn't wait! The first half which we saw on Monday was so powerful and effective, for the first half of the film you get the idea that Tsotsi is a violent, uncaring thug who has no respect for anything and as an audience, you hate him and see him as vile evil. It's not until the second half that you begin to feel sorry for him and see what a horrible childhood he had with a Mother who had a disease, an abusive father and a horrible infamous scene in which his father kicks his dog effectively breaking its back.


The film is one of the most touching and effective i've seen in a long time, it really gave me a strong taste of what life is like for a lot of poor people in Africa, being forced to steal and live in such terrible conditions. I felt so sad to see the young children sleeping in horrible pipes, but it really made me think. That's what so special about Tsotsi as a film, its well made, well written, with outstanding performances by the cast and such interesting use of music, African rap on some bits and African culture type music on others. I honestly totally agree with the film winning an Academy Award for best foreign language film, it was extremely entertaining to watch and made me learn a lot, it's a definite five star for me and it totally deserves it.

Summary: An absolutly fantastic film which I would recommend to anyone.