Review of Material

Material (2012)
10/10
Material is Magical movie for the new Millennium
14 March 2012
Material is in a class of its own because it fusses so many different genres successfully. Oscar winning "Tsotsi" gave the world a peak into South African thug-life life on the streets of Johannesburg. Material is strong for very different reasons.

The characters are quirky, sometimes funny and almost magical in their qualities. Ronnie Apteker, the producer has put together an excellent support team including a brilliant scriptwriter. Dialogue flows so naturally between the cast it is easy to taken on this journey. After a string of films under his belt, this may be his first box office hit. Material also has strong international potential in the Middle East and Asia where the Muslim family story may resonate even stronger.

After reading the build up to this film on Twitter over the last 12-months, this film had to be great not just good. This movie was more than expected and hits emotional triggers from beginning to end. The cinematography is breezy and captures the soul of one of the oldest suburbs in Johannesburg, Fordsburg succinctly. Local residents refer it to "little Pakistan" or "little India" because of the high concentration of Muslims from India or Pakistan who live here.

Moviegoers get real glimpses of the struggle in a family bound by tradition and terrors of the legacy of Apartheid. Fathers and boys have a special connection. This film is at times deeply spiritual in its quest for reconciliation between family members, father and son, and brothers.

Look out for the stand-up comedy routines because they lift you up when you least expect it. Movies like this can help change the world. This movie is a family movie, a comedy, a drama and a coming of age story all rolled into one. Ronnie Apteker may be close to his magnum opus as a film producer.
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