Camden New Journal - Movies: Goodbye Bafana

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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with WILLIAM HALL
Published: 10 May 2007

Dennis Haysbert plays Nelson Mandela in goodbye Bafana

Prison breakthrough

GOODBYE BAFANA
Directed by Billy August
Certificate 15

GOODBYE Bafana is based on the true story of white South African prison guard James Gregory (Ralph Fiennes) whose racist views were profoundly affected by the black inmate he guarded for 20 years. The prisoner’s name was Nelson Mandela.
In fact Mandela (played with commendable dignity by Dennis Haysbert) takes second place in the drama, which focuses on Gregory’s growing efforts to shake free of the stifling Apartheid regime, bringing him into direct conflict with the system and the hard-nosed officials who enforce it.
Meantime, he has to put up with a complaining wife (Diane Kruger), who is more concerned with getting a new house from the government than her husband’s feelings.
Gregory wrote the book on which this film is based, and apparently ran into controversy when it was suggested that he had exaggerated his relationship with Mandela.
How close did the pair actually get?
How far was Gregory really influenced in his desire to explore the principles of egalitarianism after years of being drip-fed by racist propaganda?
Perhaps this is why the script is less than riveting, despite the powerful presence of Fiennes, who is always watchable but this time delivers a performance that is curiously lacklustre.

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