Review of Number 37 (2018) by Brendenelliott — 04 Feb 2019
Nosipho Dumisa’s exhilarating debut is guaranteed to take your breath away, cinematically and literally. This South African psychological thriller has a gripping score that intensifies every scene in which it is present, and when it disappears, the silence is all the more excruciating.
While the film is not as gruesome as the works of Quentin Tarantino, it is graphic enough to convey the brutality of its antagonists. Typically while screening a film, I find satisfaction in correctly predicting the next plot point.
However, 'Number 37' had me constantly second-guessing myself; I frankly had no idea what was to come, and that was fun for me. While this film is a clear homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film Rear Window, it was able to fully incorporate modernity through a relevant reflection of crime in South African slums.
The blend of traditional American filmmaking and a highly stylized vision makes for a truly authentic piece of cinema.
This review of Number 37 (2018) was written by Brendenelliott on 04 Feb 2019.
Number 37 has generally received positive reviews.
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