Review of Tsotsi (2005) by Emily O — 10 May 2011

Tsotsi is a film set in Africa, about a gang leader who steals a car, shoots a woman, and accidentally kidnaps her baby. Though the film can almost be read as a redemption of the title character (Tsotsi eventually winds up back at the woman's house, surrounded by police, and returns the baby unharmed), his multitude of criminal actions coupled with his disregard for anyone-including his fellow gang members-is enough to leave Western audiences with a sour taste in their mouth.

The film itself is beautiful. The use of a crane allows the filmmaker to get beautiful panning shots of the shanty town at sunset, and the outfits worn by its inhabitants are colorful and in stark contrast to the dark story we follow.

Included in extra features of this movie are a few alternative endings. In one, though he's redeemed himself with returning the child, a jumpy police officer shoots him through the chest as Tsotsi reaches for a bottle of formula for the baby; in another, Tsotsi still gets shot, but, having seen what he gets for his attempt to make things right, leaves the baby and hops the fence to run back to the shanty town, away from the police who don't even care that he's trying to do the right thing.

The scenes get slightly gruesome and/or uncomfortable for some people; a stabbing and a shooting in the first fifteen minutes of the film set the tone, and the child at one point is covered in a swarm of angry ants.

The film is interesting, but even though it was beautifully shot, I probably would not see it again.