The Cold Father

A standout performance by Luthuli Dlamini in the lead role of Anthony. A recently released South African master thief witnesses his life come full circle as he returns to the free world to comb the Cape Town underworld in search of his only living daughter. Anthony is immediately likeable and his story is intriguing. Writer/director Henry Charly cleverly seduces the viewer with Anthony's charming and magnetic persona, long before it's revealed what malice he's capable of. With the demeanor of an ivy league college professor, his slim build, and a look that quantifies every bit of his 55 years, Anthony is cold and calculating, and relentless in his quest.

The film conveys a real sense of lost time, and there is no disconnect for the audience when it comes to Anthony's inner fight to sever the institutionalism of prison that haunts a seasoned con being flushed back into society. Overhead establishing drone shots of the sprawling neon of Johannesburg and the resort city of Cape Town add a perfect atmosphere of distance. Anthony walks the crowded streets, but completely alone. The polygraph which does not detect lies, but rather fear; something used on Anthony, that ultimately becomes his weapon of choice on a quest he simply can do nothing more but see it through to the end. The film is soaked in a blue hue-it provides texture for The Cold Father, but also implies the rising tide. In his quest he is indomitable, but ultimately, Anthony is the victim of stolen years, and not enough time.