Four Corners

An effective, unglamorous drama about the notorious Numbers gangs which hold much sway in many communities on the Cape Flats of Cape Town. The plot does seem to be a little aimless for a while, but it's bought together by the end even if the final twist of the story feels a little too much. The script is what lets the film down - it's too often too expositional of both content and plot, and pains to explain too much to outsiders. That's understandable, but it does mean that some of what comes out of the characters' mouths feels forced and unnatural, which sets it at odds with a film that is in many other respects immersed in local culture (especially the excellent soundtrack). There are some excellent directorial moments and some really powerful cinematography that manages to do more than the reams of expositional dialogue. In the end, it does feel authentic - I've met people for whom this context is their everyday reality, and these are the communities my children are originally from; it's clearly a film that knows its territory and is keen to do justice to the local stories without glamorising or sensationalizing such potent material. It just remains a shame that the script hampers it too much.