Nommer 37

Foreign films don't get enough credit. The direction of this South African movie was incredible. Directors, often struggle with capturing these sensitive topics, but I thought the combination of emotional acting and intense storyline allowed these issues to be illustrated in a way they deserved. The film, which follows a paraplegic man who attempts to use criminal means to make his way out of poverty, gets progressively more thrilling as it goes along. I was on the edge of my seat by the end of the movie! A must see for anyone who loves suspense.

Saw this at Sydney Film Festival 2018, hosted by Nosipho. Fantastic interpretation of original concept. The subtitles proved useful for conveying the original lamguage wit. Dialogue and scenes well integrated into modern South Africa, but with a global appeal. I though Randall did a fantastic acting job, and the other sub characters had meaning. I may be biased by previously living in the Cape, but even my global friends understood the messages and screen play. My only critique was that the police woman's capitulation to corruption could have been further played out, but this is minor and does not distract from the main plot.

Nommer 37 is a good South African thriller and a strong film from the Cape Flats with nail biting anxiety and suspense. A man caught in debt, drug and gangster related crime falls deeper into trouble when a constraining injury results in him relying on the care of his girlfriend. The film shows relevant issues that people from the Cape Flats must deal with daily as well as a tumultuous love story on the Flats.

The film has great acting from the two leads, played by Irshaad Ally and Monique Rockman. The performance from the whole cast also gives a strong picture of life on the Cape Flats. For Afrikaans viewers the dialogue is something special as the specific Cape dialect is used very well and effectively throughout the film. The directing was done well and was some of the better and original work from the last decade in South Africa, especially in the Afrikaans film genre.

This film does contain story elements which was clearly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock's film Rear Window (1954). The fifties Hitchcock film is however probably only known by a few South Africans which would make this film for most viewers a new and refreshing story with strong South African characterization.

Recommend this film to every South African who wants to see a good thriller from their own country and to any person who wants a better understanding of the stresses that people who live in the Cape Flats endure.

The first half fades slightly, but in the second half the film gains more of its tempo and tension. Toward the end we are rewarded with a cool end ... you can watch the movie.

The story is a stark crime story that plays on suspenseful thrusts of drama and intense characters. The cast give varied but strong performances. At times scenes feel forced against conflicting backdrops but inevitably that slight aspect seems as intentional as Hitchcock's "Rear Window". Dumisa shows a brilliance in this ability to mirror obvious influence of western filmmakers while never coming off as mimicry.

"Number 37" performs as a dark, off-quilter slow burner where action is concerned. There are moments when the suspense builds into actual thrills. However a lot of the violence and bloodshed acts more as aesthetic instead of pressure points in the film. Still enough thriller elements exist to really tease a Tarantino quality. Overall "Number 37" is a strong, contemporary crime thriller worth the watch.