THE STAR-LEDGER REVIEW 




Lisa Rose of New Jersey's The Star-Ledger reviews Cape of Good Hope:
 
"Cape of Good Hope is a blithe, upbeat departure from the labored politicking commonly found in Africa-set films." 

An upbeat view of post-Apartheid South Africa

Saturday, November 12, 2005
BY LISA ROSE
Star-Ledger Staff 
Cape of Good Hope 
(PG-13) Artistic License (107 min.) 
Directed by Mark Bamford. Stars Debbie Brown, Eriq Ebouaney, Nthati Moshesh. Now playing at theaters in New York. 

Stars: 3 
There's a fine line between heartfelt and corny, inspiring and contrived. 
The multicultural character study "Cape of Good Hope" edges close to that divide, but manages to skirt sentimental excess. 
Set in Cape Town, South Africa, the film is a slice of post-apartheid life, centered on a group of staffers at an animal shelter. 
With its interlinked plotlines involving stray dogs and damaged humans, the movie is the feel-good flipside of "Amores Perros." Despite differences in race and religious beliefs, the characters bond through their love of animals. 
Debut director Mark Bamford, who co-wrote the script with his wife, Suzanne Kay, emphasizes emotion over social commentary in his storytelling. Still, the South African setting has intrinsic political resonance. 
Reminders of the country's troubled past are laced into the narrative, as Bamford promotes the idea that governmental reform hasn't erased intolerance. One of the animals housed at the shelter is a former guard dog trained by its owners to attack only those with dark skin color. In another scene, a wealthy white businessman attempts to rape his black housekeeper. 
There is a tinge of hypocrisy to the picture because it champions racial harmony yet doesn't mix ethnicities in its romantic matches. 
The white heroine, Kate (Debbie Brown), shares a strong friendship and common interests with Congo-born character Jean Claude (Eriq Ebouaney), yet their relationship remains platonic. Kate finds love with a white veterinarian (Morne Visser) while Jean Claude courts a black single mom (Nthati Moshesh). 
This paradox diminishes the impact of the story, but the film earns goodwill courtesy of its earnest intentions and light touch. 
Bamford didn't recruit American and European talent to headline the movie, a la "Hotel Rwanda" and "Constant Gardener." The film features an all-African ensemble cast. The performers offer consistently subtle, soulful portrayals, though Brown and Ebouaney shine in their depictions of characters whose kindness drives the plot. 
"Cape of Good Hope" is a blithe, upbeat departure from the labored politicking commonly found in Africa-set films. The picture isn't devoid of substance, but it doesn't allow itself to get mired in message either. It conveys its themes via likable, relatable protagonists. Their struggles to find emotional fulfillment are universal, even if their challenges are heightened by the geographic backdrop. 

Rating note: The film contains violence, strong language and sexual content.



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Posted: Sat - November 12, 2005 at 07:50 AM          

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