Of Good Report (2013)

An introverted high school teacher in rural South Africa starts an obsessive affair with a pupil, with tragic consequences. A South African homage to film noir.

Director:

Jahmil X.T. Qubeka

Writer:

Jahmil X.T. Qubeka

Stars:

Mothusi Magano, Petronella Tshuma, Thobi Mkhwanazi

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Mothusi Magano	...	Parker Sithole
Petronella Tshuma	...	Nolitha
Thobi Mkhwanazi	...	Squeeza
Nomhle Nkonyeni	...	Landlady (as Nomhlé Nkyonyeni)
Tshamano Sebe	...	Vuyani
Lee-Ann Van Rooi	...	Const. Arendse
Tina Jaxa	...	Headmistress
Stevel Marc	...	Njabu
Lindani Nkosi	...	Vicktor
Phoenix Mabote	...	Vatiswa
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rouel Beukes	...	Rector
Rosalee Cowpar	...	Librarian
Ntosh Madlingozi	...	Const. Simphiwe
Lihlebo Magugu	...	Sipho
Peace Mhlekwa	...	Policeman #2

Storyline

Introverted and seemingly gentle high school teacher Parker Sithole has a quiet passion for literature and is presented to a new school as a man "of good report". In a local bar Parker meets a mesmerizing young woman and falls for her - but the next day she walks into his classroom and he realizes that the blossoming love which has brought joy into his world is forbidden. Parker develops and obsession with his vivacious pupil and she returns his affections until their love story reaches a tragic end. The film is an intense and profoundly executed thriller following this deeply disturbed teacher who is externally "of good report" and yet hiding a grisly murder which preys on his mind as a local policewoman hunts him, coming closer and closer to the awful truth...

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

South Africa

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 August 2013 (South Africa)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Compass Films, Icelandic Film Center, New Brighton Motion Picture Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was due to open the 34th Durban International Film Festival in July, 2013. However, on the day of the screening the film was banned by the state-run Film and Publications Board.

User Reviews

Unforgettable

I have to say this film is very striking and impressive for me.

The most note-worthy feature is the amazing soundtrack. There are so many layers of sound, so much fear, boldness, insanity and hatred in the sound that it can be so frightening to listen. I feel the filmmaker's effort to impact on audiences' senses with music and noises.

The mise-en-scene is so bleak as to the extent of scary or even gruesome. The intentional production of black and white creates such a feeling of horror and the film milieu is fraught with imminent danger and violence. The leading actor's performance is imbued with trauma, torture, extreme desire and brutality. His sheer silence can be either a preference of the director or his own choice of portraying the ultimately cruel and dangerous monster with a harmless and care- needing look.

As far as I observe, negative opinions mainly come from the intentional black-and-white representation (in order to be "stylish") and the arguably "poor performance" of the leading actor. On the contrary, I reckon the lack of colour adds up to the whole bleak and Gothic thrill, or at least avoid upsetting spectators with the crime scene, like Hitchcock's choice of making Psycho black and white. I agree the film plot does not have a big twist or is as mind-burning as Christopher Nolan's, but simply calling the film "boring" due to the particular representation and acting is untenable. In a nutshell, I would recommend the film, especially for the sound.