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      Tsotsi

      R 2005 1 hr. 31 min. Drama List
      82% 131 Reviews Tomatometer 86% 25,000+ Ratings Audience Score A South African hoodlum named Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) lives by a code of violence, and he and his gang of thugs prowl the streets of Johannesburg day and night, attacking those who fail to give them what they want. After casually shooting a woman and stealing her car, he discovers her baby in the back seat. Instead of harming the mewling infant, he takes it home and cares for it. The child acts as a catalyst for the hardened thug to regain his humanity. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Feb 28 Buy Now

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      Tsotsi

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      Critics Consensus

      Chweneyagae's powerful performance carries this simple yet searing tale of a shantytown teenager's redemption.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Gareth v A movie that expolres the criminal and violent side of South Africa. The tale of redemption is a bit of a stretch though. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/20/23 Full Review jacob t Amazing character study and well made film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review William L The cops in this movie at great. At one point they ride around in this incredibly unintimidating sedan-truck, constantly are leveling Glocks at the heads of suspects like they're in some '80s action movie, and later on one picks up a criminal's gun during a home infiltration and turns it on the guy like the cop forgot to bring his own. Tsotsi is an important film in the development of African cinema on the world stage, sweeping awards in the United States and beyond where predecessors did not, but can either be heart-melting or childish based on interpretation. Presley Chweneyagae's Tsotsi ('gangster') is a thug without morals or scruples, a man who has abandoned his former identity after facing cruelty at home. However, when he accidentally kidnaps a baby (who only cries when the story demands it, and never outside of those demands) as part of a carjacking, that stony-faced persona begins to crack and melt away, as he sees some bit of his former self in the innocence of a child. Some people called it a refreshing turn from other modern dramas that focused too heavily on darker storylines, but the transformation seems totally unjustified. We go from 'stabbing a guy with an icepick in a train' to 'here's some milk, boy-o' in about half an hour, with little explanation apart from some belief that inside of every criminal there's a mistreated former child. It has some solid performances, many of the details feel solid, and the international recognition was significant, but the premise alone sort of betrays the film. African cinema has a lot to offer, including many unique and highly original details rooted in a wide range of cultures, that making this the poster child for a continent seems like a rather timid decision. (2.5/5) Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/01/22 Full Review dave s Set in Johannesburg, David is a young man who, after his mother's death from AIDS, resorts to a life of crime, seemingly devoid of any emotion other than anger. After carjacking a vehicle, he realizes that he has kidnapped the victim's baby, forcing him to reevaluate his life. Once you get past the unlikely scenario of David keeping the baby instead of leaving it in the car, Tsotsi is a fascinating examination of the evolution of a heartless criminal. It is a film about compassion and redemption, beautifully shot in the slums of the city and featuring excellent performances from the cast, including that of Presley Chweneyagae in the lead role. As an added bonus, the soundtrack and score are remarkable. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Liam D A powerful story of redemption so check it out because this director should be looked at his other works like this and not X men origins Wolverine. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/06/20 Full Review mike v Tsotsi is a 2005 South African film written and directed by Gavin Hood 🍿 It's good 🙂 I'd recommend it if you like this genre 👍🏼 IN THIS WORLD... REDEMPTION COMES JUST ONCE... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Zadie Smith Daily Telegraph (UK) The audience gasps in that odd mixture of surprise and recognition that great story-telling affords. Jan 16, 2018 Full Review Roger Moore Orlando Sentinel It is a first peek at a South Africa that doesn't need a Hollywood studio or Hollywood stars to present itself to the world, or to come to grips with itself at home. Rated: 4/5 Apr 7, 2006 Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle What Tsotsi fails to explain is how the mere introduction of a baby can melt the cruel cycle of criminality and disregard for others. Rated: 2.5/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com It is one of only a handful of films where I have, quite literally, forgotten that it is a foreign film. Rated: 4.0/4.0 Sep 26, 2020 Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens Artfully combining and complimenting with each other the story and technical aspects of the film, the results are an unparalleled synergistic relationship, seamlessly interweaving the film's ever increasing message of hope and redemption. Nov 9, 2019 Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal It's a redemption song that could be stripped down into a Hallmark-esque distillation of "City of God." Instead, it retains a minor key, with bullets, blood and beatings illustrating a descent into dangerous living while a baby's presence suggests hope. Rated: 3.5/4 Nov 7, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis A South African hoodlum named Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) lives by a code of violence, and he and his gang of thugs prowl the streets of Johannesburg day and night, attacking those who fail to give them what they want. After casually shooting a woman and stealing her car, he discovers her baby in the back seat. Instead of harming the mewling infant, he takes it home and cares for it. The child acts as a catalyst for the hardened thug to regain his humanity.
      Director
      Gavin Hood
      Executive Producer
      Sam Bhembe, Robert Little, Doug Mankoff, Basil Ford, Joseph D'Morais
      Screenwriter
      Gavin Hood
      Production Co
      Movie World, National Film and Video Foundation of SA, UK Film and TV Production Co.
      Rating
      R (Strong Violent Content|Language)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      Afrikaans
      Rerelease Date (Theaters)
      Feb 24, 2006
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Nov 8, 2016
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $2.9M
      Sound Mix
      Dolby Digital
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