Tsotsi is the street name used by a young Johannesburg delinquent who has taken to a life of crime in order to support himself. Tsotsi comes from a blighted upbringing - his mother died slowly from AIDS-related illnesses, and his father was torturously abusive - and he has developed a talent for violence borne of necessity as well as taking strange pleasure in hurting other people. One evening, Tsotsi shoots a woman while stealing her car, and only later discovers that her infant son is in the back seat. Uncertain of what to do with the baby, Tsotsi takes the boy home and tries to care for it - going so far as to force Miriam, a single mother living nearby, to nurse the baby. With time, Tsotsi learns the basics of child care, and the presence of the baby awakens a sense of humanity in him that life on the street had stripped away.
For a foreign film, this was a high quality flick. Of course, you have to get over the fact that they speak Afrikaans with English subtitles, but it really doesn't take anything away from the movie. The acting is excellent and the cinematography is Hollywood quality. The plot is dark and disturbing, but also contains glimmers of promise and hope. I was sucked into the story, but my only complaint is that it's too short and doesn't fully explore all of the topics that are raised. However, you can use your imagination to complete the picture, but it ended so quickly and left me wanting more. I suppose that's the sign of a good movie.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Presley Chweneyagae
I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.
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