Tsotsi (2005)

Tsotsi (2005)

Tsotsi is a South African film directed by Gavin Hood. It is based on a novel called “Tsotsi” by Athol Fugard. The film is set in an Alexander slum in Johannesburg, South Africa. Tsotsi (which means thug in English) is a troubled young man who steals and kills people for money and their possessions. One night he had a big fight with one of his fellow thieves and decided to rob a car. What Tsotsi did not realize was that there was a baby inside of the car. Already miles and miles away from the luxurious home where he stole the car from, Tsotsi heard a noise coming from the back seat, and it happened to be a baby crying. Right away he stopped the car and exited the vehicle. He packed his stuff and as he was about to leave, Tsotsi realized that he just could not leave a crying baby in the car all by itself.

Tsotsi then decides to take the baby with him. He placed the baby in a plastic shopping bag and walked away with it inside. Once he is home he takes the baby out and begins to look at it as though it was something he had never seen before in his life. He then realizes that he cannot care for this baby on his own. He approaches a woman from his slum who has a baby of her own. He knocks on her door and holds a gun to MIriam’s head. He then makes her breast feed his new baby. He makes this an everyday thing to nourish the baby.

Tsotsi and Miriam become close. Miriam tries to convince him that it is very wrong to keep the baby for himself and that he must return it to his original family as surely they are suffereing. Tsotsi then makes the wise decision of returning the baby.

In the process of doing so Tsotsi finds himself surrounded by the police. It was a very dramatic and powerful seen watching Tsotsi give the baby back to its original parents.

This film was also one of my favorites that we saw in the class. It was very touching and it also gave you an idea of life in the slums of South Africa. Surely these types of incidents often occur. I was happy to see both the thief and the soaring family’s perspectives