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Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema (2008)

Director: Ralph Ziman

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From Time Out London

Life in post-apartheid South Africa becomes a poor man’s ‘City of God’ in this bullet-riddled Johannesburg gangsta chronicle which never quite manages enough socio-political heft to disguise its rampant genre clichés. The boyhood pal along for the criminal ride, the idolised neighbourhood crook, the disapproving mum, the turncoat former associate, the climactic rooftop confrontation – it’s all here and more, in a movie which quotes from Michael Mann’s ‘Heat’ in a key heist set piece.

Writer-director Ralph Ziman strings it all together with slick competence, but given that leading man Rapulana Seiphemo does a persuasive line in moral ambiguity, it’s disappointing that the proceedings too often default to glib shoot-’em-up rather than digging deeper into the historical moment. Loosely based on actual events, the film suggests that while waiting for the ‘new’ South Africa, disgruntled township residents like Seiphemo’s Lucky twisted the politics of entitlement into a ready excuse for their own rampaging criminality – but ultimately can’t decide whether to condemn or condone such action.

Author: Trevor Johnston

Time Out London Issue 2081, July 8-14 2010

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User reviews of this film

kevin the great said...

Posted on Jul 09 2010 13:28 this surely will in time become a cult classic. starring and directing their first movie the chuckle brothers got this one just about right. laughter, tears, it had it all. from the first scene when the brothers each had wood and were saying "to you to me mother *ucker" it had me gripped so hard. with graphic scenes of a sexual manner its one for all the family to enjoy. well done CBeebies

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