Stander (2003) User Reviews

One of the best South African films to date

[AntiDot · 8/10 · 5 October 2004]

I've seen my share of South African films, being a South African myself, and I can tell you with pride and without hesitation that this was one of the best films from my country I've ever seen. I felt the protagonist's confusion and frustration. I cannot remember the last time I've wanted the bad guy to escape more than in this movie.

"ebhp1" commented on the accent, which made it difficult to understand the dialogue. I think it was a functional and very important part of the movie in an attempt to make it REAL. A movie about South Africans with an American accent? No. It's like making a British film French accents... I do have to congratulate the American actors who handled the accent so well. I even wondered if they were South African!

I take my hat off to you. A great movie with great actors.

Exciting, funny and sad, an outstanding true-life tale

[barbowitz · 9/10 · 28 July 2004]

A thoughtful action film, well written, directed and acted. A potent blend of character study and social history, with a dynamic performance by Thomas Jane in the title role. What at first seems to be a kind of Robin Hood tale turns out to be much more complex and unsettling.

Director/co-writer Bronwen Hughes (can this really be the same person who directed "Harriet the Spy"?) finds just the right tone and pace. The Soweto riot scene is a knockout and sets the stage for Andre Stander's disillusionment. The overall film is reminiscent (in the best sense) of some of the classic Hollywood films of the late 60s, early 70s such as "Butch Cassidy" and "Dog Day Afternoon."

Brilliant true crime film Thomas Jane was amazing

[willden21 · 9/10 · 18 January 2004]

I Just got back from a screening of This film at the Sundance film festival, and there are some corrections that need to be made from some of the other comments. After the screening the director did a Q&A where when asked was all this true, she said oddly enough "the outrageous stuff was true, and we had to add normal plot fillers to help it dramatically."

Stander never planned his robberies, he was a criminal who was sick of seeing the violence against the unarmed citizens, and tired of the crookedness of police life, that he rebelled against the system, just as a political act, not a need for money.

This film has plenty of great action scenes and alot of great comedy as well as brilliant acting by the whole cast, especially Thomas Jane who shines as Stander.

Outside of the violence and fun, there is a very powerful moral story, one of right and wrong, politics and the lonely life of a criminal. One theme I love was repeated throughout, and that is that the wrong man is always punished, or killed, when we should be looking at our government officials and their corruption, we spend too much time on the little criminals.

Very fascinating, and fun to watch, as well as thought provoking, once again the Q&A would answer all of the problems other posters had with the film, because the stuff they did not like was the actual facts behind the characters lives, just AMAZING!!

The True Saga of a Bank Robber

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 30 March 2008]

In 1976, in Johannesburg, the efficient anti-racist Homicide/Robbery Police Captain Andre Stander (Thomas Jane) has a nervous breakdown after killing an unarmed man in an apartheid protest. Stander decides to confront and mock the established corrupt system heisting twenty-six banks while working for the police department. He is captured and sentenced to thirty-two years in prison; however, he succeeds to escape with the criminals Lee McCall (Dexter Fletcher) and Allan Heyl (David Patrick O'Hara) and together they form "The Stander Gang" and rob another twenty banks in six months.

"Stander" tells the story of the notorious Afrikaner bank robber and former police captain Andre Stander. The movie works perfectly as an action movie, but if the intention was to give any political connotation to the actions of the anti-hero Stander, it completely fails. Stander is shown as an efficient but unbalanced man in love for his wife performed by the gorgeous Deborah Kara Unger that defies the system, not like a Robin Hood or to protect the black people, but for self-profit only. Thomas Jane has a great performance in the role of this complex character. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Stander – Um Policial Contra o Sistema" ("Stander – A Policeman Against the System")

Did It Show In USA,UK,Aus Or NZ ?

[gerrit843 · 18 October 2004]

Hi, Stander was an absolute blast of a movie. Well directed & true the origins. Andre Stander (according to newspapers in SA)was deeply shocked by events and did feel a need to break away from what he felt was wrong, incl.the government's way at the time. Thomas Jane is a great actor and to have learned the accent - Wow! He looks so much like the real Stander. Stander as a movie is compare able to 'Blow' from Johnny Depp which was also a true 'story' movie. I felt the best thing from the movie was the fact that they made Johannesburg look so much like it did in the 80's and the cars they used, with all the different number plates, as well as the old bank names, was a classy touch. Johannesburg looks so nice and clean, like it used to be.

Now did it open worldwide, or at least in the USA, or UK on the 6 / 13th August? So did anyone manage to see it ?Because in SA it has since been on TV & DVD.

Just watched...amazing!

[onion9 · 8/10 · 2 January 2005]

I just watched this movie yesterday. I guess it just got released, but I couldn't find it. Luckily someone put it online.

Anyway, this movie was incredible. Since watching the movie, I did some research, and this move was completely based on actual events and facts. Only robbing the same bank twice in one day was fictional.

Tom Jane was great in the role as Andre Stander, and was excellent in his confidence within the character. its too bad this film wasn't more popular in North America

I am going to have to buy the DVD. Hopefully it will have some interesting extras

Like a Great, Forgotten Movie From the 70s

[Craig-9 · 8/10 · 16 February 2005]

_Stander_ was completely fascinating, from start to finish. I don't know when the last time was I saw a movie that I enjoyed so completely. It really was like some overlooked classic from the early 70s, in the styles and the composition. The colors have just the right washed-out look to make you think this film might be a contemporary of films like _Dog Day Afternoon_ or _Network_. And the settings, the costumes, the cars--all the period details bring us right back to the mid-70s. Never having visited South Africa and not really knowing that much about it, I almost feel like I've had a bit of a crash course in South African history and culture after watching the film. It's amazing that Thomas Jane, who hasn't exactly had the most memorable career to date, could so completely inhabit this character and bring him to life. This is the same guy who was the romantic lead in the insipid _The Sweetest Thing_! And the morose protagonist of _The Punisher_. He needs to keep stretching and looking for these more offbeat roles. And it's always a pleasure to see the beautiful Deborah Kara Unger in a film--here she plays Stander's wife. I won't recount the plot--plenty of other posters have already--but just urge you to rent this movie if you get the chance. It was immensely entertaining.

"If you're a white guy, you can get away with anything"

[gradyharp · 10/10 · 7 July 2005]

So speaks Andre Stander the day after a massive riot in Johannesburg South Africa in which Stander as a police captain finds himself killing a Zulu man in a morally shattering encounter. This utter disillusionment with the police force and their responses to the Apartheid situation makes Stander withdraw emotionally and physically from the Riot Squad and eventually his challenge that the blacks are unduly mistreated leads him to break the white laws by initiating a string of bank robberies - not for money but for a bizarre sort of revenge.

Stander (Tom Jane) is good at what he does, both as a cop and as a criminal, but his clever bank heists eventually result in his being jailed where he finds two partners (David O'Hara and Dexter Fletcher) to join him in escape and in one of the longest bank robbery sprees in the history of South Africa. Stander remains conflicted: he loves his new wife Bekkie (Deborah Kara Unger), he knows what he is doing is wrong, but the money is often shared with the blacks of Johannesburg, and he is driven to leave South Africa to eventually locate in Lauderdale, Florida. The eventual results of this man's career bring this film to a close in an action packed yet very soulful way.

The film, as written by Bima Stagg and directed by Bronwen Hughes captures the atmosphere of the era in South Africa, and gives us a realistic look at the plight of the Africans in the Apartheid, offering insights to both sides of the conflict like few others have in film. He coaxes fine performances from his large cast of actors and extras, making this film less an action thriller than a character study of the enigmatic Andre Stander.

The true star of this film, a film that deserves far more attention than it has been given, is Tom Jane. Jane is a strong actor, able to take on language accents with the best of them, and able to make us understand the spectrum of personality in this fascinating character. There are many scenes in which he plays in full nudity, quite apropos to the story, but just an indication of his commitment to 'fleshing out' of his role. He is an actor to watch, an actor unafraid of tough roles in contrast to the showy Hollywood star parts. Grady Harp

Drama, humor, and a sexually charged performance

[rednikki · 9/10 · 19 August 2004]

Last night, I saw the film "Stander" in a sneak preview at the Kendall. It's been tragically mismarketed, and I've heard the distribution company, Newmarket Films, is pulling it from release for the moment.

That's a tragedy. The film is deeply flawed, but even with its flaws, it's a far better film than almost any that I've seen this year. It's the story of Andre Stander, a South African policeman who robbed over 40 banks in the late '70s and early '80s, at least 20 of them while a policeman, just to prove a white man in South Africa could get away with anything. It ratchets between humor and drama in a way that evokes the cognitive dissonance that living in an apartheid state must have caused. The cinematography is very self-consciously '70s; the film is a little washed out and the framing is frequently odd, but this only adds to the effectiveness of the film. Thomas Jane gives an incredible performance; I've seen him in other movies, but I've never seen him be as sexy, as charismatic, as magnetic or as powerful as he was here, and he manages to do so while rarely having sex or anything near it; it's just his presence. (In other words: Sex. On. A. Stick.) He fell into the category of "men who are not my type", and yet I found him incredibly hot.

I saw it for free. If I had paid $10 to see it, I would not have felt ripped off (and that's rare, for me). If you have the opportunity - if it gets re-released, or if it comes out on video - see it. It's a very good film.

Surprisingly Engaging

[ellycat17 · 8/10 · 10 June 2006]

After picking up the movie almost solely for the purpose of watching Tom Jane the actual content and brilliance of the story was shocking. Even after I realized it wasn't my normal kind of movie I was compelled to watch, completely caught up in the lives and fates of the characters. Even more compelling due to the fact that it tells a true story there's a sense of real involvement with the people and their story. For people born after the 70's and far away from South Africa this era is something almost make believe but this movie brings it to glorious and heart breaking true life. Great acting, great story, well worth watching.

A South African policeman rebels against the repression of the state and becomes one of the most prolific bank robbers in history

[ocalldg · 8/10 · 11 July 2005]

This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time, it really is a well scripted, acted and directed film. Thomas Jane is excellent in the title role of Andre Stander, a highly decorated Johannesburg detective who, after becoming despondent with his life in the oppressive South African police force, embarks on an audacious series of bank robberies. David O'Hara and Dexter Fletcher were also well cast as Stander's accomplices in this most enjoyable of crime capers.

The writing, script and dialogue were well crafted, whilst watching this film you might feel that Bima Stagg has a great imagination to spin such an unbelievable tale, incredibly though the film is a true story. Although the film is the tale of one mans rebellion against the system, it maintains an air of humour. Far from trivialising the story this reinforces the sheer audacity of the crime spree that ensues. I would highly recommend this film.

Political Trash

[usenet69 · 1/10 · 31 July 2006]

Being a South African and knowing somewhat about the family etc, the movie may have been correct about the aspects of the robberies but the political overtones they tried to make was utter rubbish.

Stander was nothing more than a greedy bank robber. He DID NOT ROB the banks to give to the poor little blacks. He robbed the banks and for a considerable amount of time he wasted the money and lived in absolute wealth. He bought expensive cars, boats etc.

The director of the movie really tried his best to drag apartheid and political issues into the story but his bad attempts are transparent. The whole story of him going to the father of ONE of the many blacks that he shot during his work at the SAP force was utter rubbish. Then right at the end of the movie, It says where the three robbers are now or what happened to them. THEN. NELSON MANDELA WAS RELEASE OUT OF PRISON. What the hell has that got to do with the whole movie. NOTHING.

I hate it if people make use of any excuse to spout their own sick version of politics.

A great deal better and more honest than many similar films

[pfgpowell-1 · 7/10 · 27 November 2009]

For £1 in your local supermarket's bargain bin (€1.10 and $1.65 at the time of writing) you don't really expect the DVD you picked up on a whim to amount to much. But Stander is a revelation and quite why Morrison's had already relegated it to junk status, I don't know. Another drawback - or apparent drawback - was the legend on the cover 'Based on a true story', which usually means 'we got the idea from something that happened and glammed it up'. Yet Stander sticks pretty close to the facts. Andre Stander, at one point the youngest police captain in South Africa and the son of a respected general, starts robbing banks while still serving. Later, once he has escaped jail, he forms the very successful Stander Gang and carries on his life of crime. As portrayed in the film, greed is apparently not his motive. The film suggests that he after killing a man while on riot duty he simply loses faith with the establishment and decides to f*** the system. Biographical details I have looked up suggest he had some sort of breakdown after his brother was killed in a crash and he had to identify the body. But what is remarkable about the film is that despite a storyline which is as close to fiction as life is ever going to get, nothing is sensationalised. Stander's relationships with his father, his former wife and his friends all ring true and Bronwen Hughes, the American writer/director plays it straight without, however, playing boring. There are several quite moving scenes in the film as when, for example, Stander seeks out the father of the man he killed and allows him to take his revenge. Whether of not that happened I don't know, but the film doesn't play it for cheap emotions. There is another scene where Stander tries to persuade his former wife to leave the country with him. She refuses, obliquely admitting that she, too, hates the apartheid system in which they all live, but that she has found a way of accommodating it. In fact, it is pretty obvious that she feels betrayed by Stander who had more or less thrown away a happy life with her. Honesty is, in fact, the hallmark of Hughes's film. Worth more than being given a chance. You might even be persuaded to go out of your way to watch it. Scenes which in less subtle hands might have made this just another run-of-the-mill movie - for example, the way it the rottenness at the core of the regime, also ring true. I puzzled that I had never before heard of this film, or why it is already languishing in a bargain bin valued at merely £1. It is worth every penny, and then some.

www.georgevader.co.uk says.....

[georgevader · 8/10 · 26 August 2005]

Stander is the true story of Andreas Stander, a white Police Officer in 70's apartheid South Africa, who turns his back on 'authority' and goes on a crime spree holding up banks.

The film has a great 70's feel to it, big loud clothes, large sideburns, in fact if you've seen the classic video 'sabotage' by The Beastie Boys you'll know what to expect. The whole cast is excellent especially the charismatic Thomas Jane as the lead and his two partners in crime David O'Hara and an almost unrecognizable Dexter Fletcher!

After watching the movie you'll feel like you've unearthed a hidden gem from the '70's, and that's praise indeed for any movie.

my newest all-time favourite!

[peacenik71 · 10/10 · 15 May 2005]

Wow, this is definitely my new favourite movie. The previews weren't exactly reflective of the general content of this movie - as another user said, they leave you expecting a fast-paced action movie - but if you're into a slightly deeper movie, this film is absolutely phenomenally laid out. The apartheid historical content was the best part for me, as a person who is in love with South Africa and its history, and I found that it was not biased which is sometimes difficult to accomplish, given that the attitudes of "old school" pro-apartheid whites are now taboo. When Stander is with his (white) police coworkers you get to hear their side - why they feel they need to stop the rioting in black townships, at whatever cost (they feel outnumbered, and are scared of what will happen to them as a white minority if the black South Africans take over...), and what's odd is that you actually feel sympathy for them in their situation. I have never found another film about South Africa that has been able to accomplish this. You are also introduced to a white man (Stander) who doesn't agree with the apartheid system and tries to subvert that power initially through robbing banks as a means of proving a point (that a white man could get away with anything while the police were focused on killing unarmed people in the black townships). The soundtrack is absolutely perfect for the film and really provides a mood-setting atmosphere. The actors are also perfectly fitted to their roles. I can't say enough about this film. My advice holds - if you're looking for a purely action-packed film, skip this one. But if you are interested in seeing a film with an awesome story line and great historical accuracy, do try Stander!

Tom Jane is Amazing!

[jmcgee321 · 10/10 · 2 March 2005]

Finally, a movie made in this day in age with no over the top violence or overblown action scenes. Just a plan and simple great movie with great acting, especially by the infamous Tomas Jane.

South African Andres Stander is a respected police officer in South Africa. Who has just got married to the same woman twice. One day he sees and does a horrible act that changes he's life forever. He then goes against the law he spent he's life enforcing. He robs banks not for the fun of it, but to show how easy it is for a white man can get away with anything, while the police are busy chasing the blacks. He and he's crew become the STANDER GANG and become the most wanted men in the country.

The music is great, the acting is great, the action scenes are great, the movie period is great. And one man made it even greater, Tom Jane,who in my opinion is a great actor among the greats. Without him THE CROW 2: CITY OF ANGELS, would be just another dumb sequel. Every role he plays he becomes. Just like THE PUNISHER, he becomes STANDER. Even he's acsecnt is believable. The man is just simply amazing. And the last scene between him and he's dad is heartbreakingly sad. Me and my pops both cried on it. Get this movie now.

An unknown masterpiece of film making.

[kobusx10 · 10/10 · 27 December 2009]

Stander is my favorite movie that nobody seems to know about (even most South Africans).

Of all the useless shallow, and meaningless drivel that Hollywood serves up, you would think that an exceptional film like Stander would at least get some recognition.

Well, the marketing was just horrible I guess. I tried to get some of my American friends to watch the movie but I didn't have a copy with me, so I looked up the trailer so they could get some idea of what it's about. The only result of this being that we decided that it was the worst movie trailer we'd ever seen.

The story of a white, South African police captain who decides to rob banks, set to the backdrop of 70's Apartheid Johannesburg would be a great story on it's own if it were fictional, but incredibly it's a true story. And if you go do some research you will find that the script very accurately follows the original story (with a few additions here and there to help the flow of the film).

It's hard to say what is the best aspect of this film, but if I were forced to point out one thing it would be the way that 70's Johannesburg was recreated. From the old cars to the original bank names and crazy hairstyles. The cinematography is also done in such a way that the color is a bit faded out. This makes you feel like you are watching some classic bank robbery movie from the seventies. As a South African myself I found the recreation extremely accurate and detailed, especially for a Canadian film company and director. Johannesburg even looked cleaner, because right now Jo'burg is quite a dirty city.

As far as acting goes you never like to see a foreigner playing one of your own countrymen, but Thomas Jane completely blows you away with the best performance of his career. He had the challenge of portraying one of the most complex movie-characters I'd ever encountered and adding to this he also had to put on a very strong South African accent. I couldn't even believe that this was the same man who played the 'Die Hard'-style action hero in 'Deep Blue See'. His accent is close to flawless, much better than Leonardo in 'Blood Diamond' or Tim Robbins.

Thomas Jane is also supported by a strong group of supporting actors. The Canadian actress, Kara Unger plays Stander's wife, a character almost as complex as Stander himself and the interaction of the couple is well portrayed. The two other members of the 'Stander Gang' make the movie that much more enjoyable as they bring even more complexity but also humour. The rest of the cast is all South African and this adds to the realism in the film. Most notable of the South African performances are Stander's father, played by Marius Weyers, and Stander's friend in the police force, Captain Cor van Deventer.

Stander, in the end is the story of a man in conflict with the world around him, the mistakes of his past and the random cruelty he sees happening all around him. This is a recurring theme emphasized by the line, "The wrong ones do keep dying".

I found that I was rooting for Stander all the way, other than in 'Public Enemies' where I had no sympathy for the selfish behaviour of the main character at all.

I could keep rambling on about how good the film is but in the end I just want people to spend the 5 dollars and buy the film from Ebay or Itunes, or borrow it from a friend. You will not be disappointed!

A warning for sensitive viewers, the riot scenes in Soweto are very graphic and realistic.

Stylish true life thriller suffused with moving social relevance.

[jonathan45 · 8/10 · 12 April 2006]

Andre Stander is a white south African detective living and working under Apartheid. He has a beautiful wife and a respected high ranking father. We first encounter Stander at a moment of happiness in his life, he is getting married. But this happiness is short lived as Stander and the police are brought in to a township to crush an uprising of protesting blacks. The riot scene is shot in realistic fashion- giving a real feel of violence about to erupt on both sides. The camera remains tight on Standers face as he shoots his shotgun in to the belly of a rushing protester and then emptying the weapon in to the crowd of unarmed black protesters, Thomas Jane does a great job of showing some complex emotions here- disgust and rage and even the thrill of adrenaline. We get an inkling of how Stander feels about what he has done when he beats up a boasting sub-ordinate cop for a callous remark after the massacre. Unable to come to terms with the regime he protects Stander has a kind of breakdown and on a whim robs a bank. He later returns- in a tense and funny scene as the investigating officer!. Stander robs bank after bank in a variety of disguises and seems unmotivated by the money he steals with such brazen confidence, indeed we come to realise the act of robbing is more an act of defiance for the government he now despises coupled with a kind of release. When Stander is finally caught by his own friends in the police is it relief we see on his face?. Stander is sentenced for a long time, and in a key scene in court he tells the judge that he has fired upon unarmed men- this is what he feels he should be on trial for we are led to believe. In jail Stander meets two fellow cons who also have robbed banks and together they escape. The trio name themselves the 'Stander gang' and become notorious outlaws thrilling and terrifying the public. The other criminals enjoy the easy money, however for Stander the adrenaline of his crimes is no longer enough to keep him distracted from his inner turmoil and he seeks out the father of the young man who he shot years ago in the riots. He is beaten with a club by the distraught man who doesn't kill Stander, instead turning away in disgust. The angry father however cannot beat out Standers inner demons who are pushing him toward a bloody self destruction. By now the police are closing in on the gangs hideout and a bloody shoot out occurs killing one member of the gang much to Standers horror. Stander flees the country for America. Safe in the states in a moving scene he contacts his father by phone under a false identity- as the cops are bugging the line and lets him know he respects and loves his father. America offers little peace of mind for Stander, though we are shown the difference in the cultures as blacks are on equal footing with whites here.In an anger and drink fuelled burst of emotions he runs a red light and is pulled over by two cops, refusing to follow their orders he fights one cop for his shotgun and is shot numerous times by the other officer. a violent end to a man who was full of self loathing and disgust at his crimes. Well what can i say about this movie..., Thomas Jane gives a blazing performance with a difficult role and complex character. Thank god this wasn't given the banal t.v movie treatment. Thomas Jane is an uneven actor sometimes amazing ( as in this film) and sometimes..well rubbish ( as in Deep Blue Sea). The rest of the cast are excellent and pull off the difficult job of portraying real people with skill. I would recommend this movie for anyone who likes excellent acting and intelligent scripting and stylish , thrilling direction.

Gets the feeling right - worth watching

[CocoMonkee · 14 November 2003]

As a South African who's had to sit through a bunch of films on South Africa(ns) that made me cringe, I have to firstly send congratulations to the actors and dialogue coaches on achieving what has to be the first believable South African accents by international actors. Bravo! (Michael Caine and Sydney Poitier can take the the cotton-wool out their mouths now).

André Stander was a young police captain who in the early 80's robbed a string of banks while still in the employ of the South African Police Service. Finally caught, Stander spent time in jail before escaping to form a gang and continue the spree. His flamboyance, charm and cheek caught the imagination of the South African public who followed his exploits excitedly in the press and on tv. Well known for outfoxing the police through trickery, elaborate disguises and plain disregard for risk, he had people on the edge of their seat - most hoping he'd never get caught.

The movie sticks with the basic story and adds the usual Hollywood glam that while pumped up to fit in with other bank-robber fare, does not ruin the plot. From a beautifully shot opening sequence of an aerial view of Johannesburg, the film immediately sets up the great contrast of this city as existed in the apartheid 80's in the living conditions of the rich pool-and-tennis-court-suburbia(almost totally white) to the poor townships(non-white). A situation that while changing is still present today. Inner-city Johannesburg is the perfect place for a film of this era. The city-centre is full of buildings, murals and statues erected during the 70's boom-time and the film makes great use of these landmarks that surround the car and foot chases through the streets and city markets. The wardrobe is spot-on, the stylists have got it right. Nothing is overdone and no-one looks out of place. South Africans will be delighted by the memories and cultural references. While the lead actors are British and American, they are surrounded by a very capable South African supporting cast.

The film makers probably take a bit of license with Stander's motivations as far as his disgust with the ruling policies, but they're never over the top and additionally make room for placing more political content into a story that would arguably be uncomfortably white for a youngish democracy such as ours. Following this, the protest scenes are believable and tense. The violence is hard-hitting and impactful. The humour and stereotypes will make you smile.

Style and acting aside, there are some awkward moments. Parts of the film struggle with context. We have scenes of hard country driving for no discernable reason other than a chat with the characters. We see little of the planning involved for the robberies and a couple of acts of redemption by Stander are hard to swallow. Sometimes it's as if the film makers wanted to fit too much into the two hours and instead let the pace slacken.

While a little long and at times slow moving, Stander was a real pleasure to watch. I laughed out loud many times, and felt really emotional looking back on a society that was in a bad place. The police clashes with protesters brought tears to my eyes and the attitude and motivations of the typical white male is genuine and appropriate. I think this film deserves a tighter overall edit and a possibly re-shoot of a rushed, unconvincing end scene, however I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, if only for a spot-on glimpse of SA life twenty years ago.

A pointless exercise in style, nothing more

[Maciste_Brother · 3/10 · 2 August 2006]

When I heard about STANDER and saw clips from it and the reviews were mostly positive, I really wanted to see it. Unfortunately, once I got my hands on the DVD and watched it, I was totally disappointed.

I don't know all the details about the real Stander but the attempt to make him look like some sort of Robin Hood of South Africa were superficial. It's hard to empathize with a thief who, no matter how much he actually helped blacks, lived in wealth and loved to live the high life. Humble he wasn't. The script is based on a true story and again one wonders were the truth begins and were creative licences were made to make the story more exciting. In the end, I feel like I know as much about Stander now as I knew before I even heard of him, which just shows you how pointless this film was.

The big problem with STANDER are the cold, distant characters. No amount of stylish film-making can overcome a story with characters you just don't care about.

A good guy terrorist?

[flingebunt · 24 October 2004]

A terrorist is a person who attempts to achieve political change by the use of violence.

Stander, is a movie based on the life of South Africa's most notorious & successful Bank robber.

Here character who we want to consider a hero in the 1960s-70s antihero sense.

Stander is a police officer in South Africa. He believes in his job and is hardworking in catching criminals. The problem as the violence in South Africa's townships grows, he, along with other police officers, are called out to deal with the riots. Issued with live ammunition at a riot, everything becomes confused and chaotic and he shoots an unarmed man.

Stricken by guilt, he refused to do riot duty. This of course means his highly successful career is on hold. By wanting to do the right thing he has thrown away his future.

Feeling angry at the fact that all of joburg's police are out in townships instead of catching criminals he decides to rob a bank. It grows from there.

He becomes a folk hero. Basically, police are stupid, but it is OK, most criminals are more stupid. But here is a person who is smart and knows the system.

So is a hero or a villain. The truth it is just an interesting adventure. He is a product of his era. The person who hates the system so he ignores it, uses it attacks it. He offers no alternative as he has none himself.

It is good movie, not a non-stop modern overblown action film, instead it is a character driven real-life adventure. some of the facts have obviously been changed and I am not sure that we really get an insight into the nature of the character of stander. To me, he seems less of a freedom fighter and more of an attention seeker. His adventual real-life death by suicide when he is living in obscurity in American reflects this.

Stander: A True, Tragic Tale of Multiple Heartbreak

[ajmacdonaldjr · 9/10 · 24 December 2009]

How many times do people have their hearts broken during the movie: Stander?

1. The viewer's heart should break during the opening credits, which shows the visual contrast between the wealthy, white Afrikaner's neighborhoods and the poor, black African's slums. South Africa's apartheid system during the seventies is the heartbreaking context in which the story takes place.

2. In the opening scene, Andre, the main character, and his wife are shown re-marrying one another. Their hearts have already been broken before the real story even begins; they are now trying to put the pieces of their broken relationship back together.

3. Andre's heart is broken when, during the confusion of a riot, he shoots and kills a young, unarmed black man (this is the one, big heartbreak from which all other heartbreaks, from this point in the film on, will originate).

4. Andre breaks the heart of his best friend (a fellow cop) who, because Andre is robbing banks, is finally forced to arrest him (the friend also gets his heart broken when Andre refuses to heed the warning he gives him (i.e., that he is on to him) to stop).

5. Andre's father's heart is broken when he hears, on the news, that his son has been arrested for bank robbery.

6. Andre's wife's heart is broken when she hears, on the news, that he's been arrested for bank robbery.

7. Andre's heart is broken when his wife, after having pleaded with him not to put his job over their relationship, again, rejects him and his plan for the two of them to run away together. His heart is also broken by the fact that his wife doesn't understand the heartbreak he feels for the blacks, especially the young man he killed, and the apartheid system he has been a part of.

8. Andre's heart is broken again when he (later) sees his wife making love with another man.

9. Andre, the father of the young man that Andre killed, and all of the spectators, have their hearts broken when Andre seeks out the young man's father to apologize to him for killing his son and submits himself to the father's punishment (i.e., a good beating).

10. Andre's heart is broken when he sees his friend, surrounded by the police, commit suicide by cop (going down in a hail of police bullets).

11. Allen, now the only surviving member of the Stander Gang besides Andre, relates to Andre a profound heartbreak he experienced in the past, occasioned by South Africa's apartheid system, the rejection of which led him into his life of crime: the police had beaten a woman he loved, a black woman, and had cause the death of her child (she was pregnant, although not with Allen's child).

12. As Andre and his friend Allen say their goodbyes, as each of them will now go their separate ways. Both of their hearts are broken by the end of their friendship.

13. Andre travels to the United States and arrives in Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break. A young woman approaches him, thinking he is a celebrity, and, for a moment, Andre appears to believe that he could fall in love again; perhaps even with this woman. She soon runs off to join the drinking festivities and Andre realizes how stupid it was for him to think he could ever fall in love and be happy again. You can see the heartbreak on his face.

14. Andre calls his father, pretending to be a black man who once worked for his father, and says his goodbyes to him. Heartbreaking. For both of them.

15. Andre then steals a car, runs a red light (on purpose), and leads two nearby police officers on a high speed chase (he is told, by the cops), that he had been going over 100 mph). When stopped, he wrestles a gun away from one of the cops and, with intention of using it (his intention being suicide by cop), points the gun at one of the officers. The other officer fires, twice, dropping Andre to the pavement, where he soon dies. His heartbreak finally over. This is the last scene.

16. As the credits roll, we are told the tragic, heartbreaking fates of two of the main characters: Andre's wife later commits suicide, and Andre's friend Allen is caught and sentenced to thirty-two years in prison. (Remember, this film is based on a true story.)

17. The viewer's heart breaks again, at the end of this movie, because we know, now, how wrong South Africa's apartheid system was. It's over now. And it was this system of oppression which drove both Andre and Allen into their lives of crime in the first place. These were simply men with good consciences who could no longer tolerate being a part of the oppressive system and chose to revolt against it. In other words, in the end, they were proved right. Heartbroken, but right.

Brilliant in every way

[boyinflares · 9/10 · 18 November 2006]

The tagline 'Good Cop. Great Criminal' perfectly describes "Stander" the action-thriller based on real life events that took place in South Africa in the late 70's and 80's.

Disillusioned with the way the police force operates (in terms of the police always being available to investigate crimes involving black people, but not white people), Andre Stander, a respected and brilliant police officer began a life of crime, similar to that of Robin Hood, whereby he began robbing banks very effectively, and he gave the stolen money to needy African people. Of course eventually he was found out, and sentenced to many years in prison.

While in prison though he forms a bond with two others - Allan Heyl and Lee McCall - and after breaking out of prison they return to robbing banks and keeping the police force always one step ahead. However, a series of events leads to a tragic and bitter end for the members of the 'Stander Gang'.

"Stander" is an amazing film that brings to life the injustice suffered by many Africans in South Africa, but the racism can be applied to any country in the world, where a police force is not entirely fair and just.

The handsome Tom Jane is perfect as Andre Stander. Charming, compassionate and determined, he plays the role with strength and conviction. He also appears naked several times early in the film which may please some of his fans. The beautiful Deborah Kara Unger gives another amazing performance as Stander's sympathetic wife Bekkie, who also meets a tragic end though this is not shown on screen. David O'Hara and Dexter Fletcher play Allan Hely and Lee McCall respectively, Stander's prison mates and later partners.

Tom Jane and Deborah Kara Unger also perfect a South African accent, not at all making it come across as forced or fake. Great direction from Bronwen Hughes and some gripping storytelling from the writer Bima Slagg. Overall, and fantastic film that not only gives a history lesson, but a compelling and wonderful story. Well done to all those involved.

I originally posted 10 30 04 before having seen the movie

[kg584 · 10/10 · 16 January 2006]

Since my original post 14 months have gone by and I finally broke down and purchased a copy of the DVD on line for 4.99 plus shipping, a very inexpensive rate and just watched it this morning. Considering how films usually butcher the facts this was really 90% accurate.

I found the sound a minor problem, had to turn it up several times to hear what was being said.

In the trailer I noted his wife had committed suicide in 1990, that was very sad, must have been hard on her and his father also.

Those little things which were wrong (but still enjoyable) were: 1) His death was not as shown, 2) The airport scene where he was stopped and then let go did not happen, 3) The passport used to leave SA was obtained differently and was actually that of an a SAA employee named Harris, 4) The film did not show the prison he was in at the time he escaped (Zonderwater, N. of Pretoria) and the shop scenes where he worked were not accurate as they had no such elaborate shop facilities at Z.

I don't intend to be picky, I did like the film and will watch it again soon. No film sticks exactly to facts but this one was darn close and the changes probably made for a better film.

I'm not sure it ever made it to a general release in the US, just some film shows here and there and I haven't seen it on cable either. Go to ebay and get yourself a copy it is worth it.

This fascinating crime drama is well made, Which is based on a true story.

[hu675 · 8/10 · 22 July 2007]

Andre Stander (Thomas Jane) is one of the youngest police captains in South Africa. He's a dedicated cop until he killed an unarmed protester in a riot from the line of duty. Then he decides to change his profession by rubbing banks until he's gets caught by the same police force he worked with. Once he's in prison, he becomes friends with two criminals Allan Heyl (David O'Hara) and Lee McCall (Dexter Fletcher). They escaped from prison and they becomes one of the most successful criminals of the early 1980's for a brief moment. Which they become anti-heroes to the city. But there's way of crime is coming to end and crime doesn't pay.

Directed by Brownen Hughes (Forces of Nature, Harriet the Spy) made an intriguing film with plenty of action and an refreshing sense of humour. Jane, who originally turned down the role at first. He gives an strong performance. Deborah Kara Unger appears as Stander's wife. This UK/Canadian/South Africa co-production didn't received an large released. But this movie will turned into an Cult Following.

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an good-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD also has trailer and an very informative commentary track by the director. This one of the most interesting true-life crime dramas in awhile. Don't miss it. (****/*****).