Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema

Original title: Jerusalema

2008
R
1h 59m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

An unflinching look into the crime, corruption and the transgressions of those looking to survive in the most crime-infested district of Johannesburg.

Play trailer1:21

1 Video

21 Photos

Action Crime Drama

A young hoodlum's rise from a small-time criminal to a powerful crime entrepreneur during the turbulent years before and after the fall of apartheid.A young hoodlum's rise from a small-time criminal to a powerful crime entrepreneur during the turbulent years before and after the fall of apartheid.A young hoodlum's rise from a small-time criminal to a powerful crime entrepreneur during the turbulent years before and after the fall of apartheid.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 6 wins & 1 nomination

Videos1

Trailer 1:21

Watch Jerusalema

Photos21

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The budget was so low on the film that old cameras were used as were skateboards in place of dollies.

Goofs
When Kunene is on the beach in Durban at the end of the movie, the tracks made by the film crews vehicles are clearly visible.

Soundtracks
Nkosi Sikelele Afrika
Written by Enoch Sontonga
Performed by the Soweto Gospel Choir

User reviews35

Review

Featured review

9/10

Jerusalema - Brilliant!

If Jerusalema, the latest film about life in South Africa's underbelly of Hillbrow, can make a film like the award winning Tsotsi look like child's play, you need to ask yourself the question: "Why haven't I seen it yet?" Even more disturbing is that Jerusalema premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, and has already been raking in the awards.

Star of the film - Lucky Kunene's motto in life is taken from an Al Capone movie "If you're going to steal ... steal big, and hope like hell you get away with it!" Like a fly on the wall, we get to watch how an innocent youth from Soweto, a victim of circumstance, turns to crime and works his way up to become the hoodlum of Hillbrow.

The acting is superb and will have you engrossed in the film in no time. The script is watertight, and quite probably the most accurate account of South Africa's criminal underworld that you're ever going to see.

The scary part about all of this? It's based on true events! (But don't be put off SA, this is a small part of a big country)