Classic Shit: ‘Stander’

“Classic Shit!” is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release, and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

If I say something is a classic, then take it with a grain of salt. If I call it shit, then I do it with love-

Except this time, because ‘Stander’ is really awesome and deserves to be rediscovered. Right now.

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“Stander” is a perfect example of quality cinema criminally ignored. This movie is top shelf all around: great score, great cast, great script and great director. I remember seeing a short trailer for this movie a long time ago and thinking to myself, “Hey, this movie looks like it might be pretty awesome.” 

Well, it was a sight better than “awesome.”  It’s fucking GREAT.

Thomas Jane plays Andre Stander, a South African police officer that grows increasingly tired of political and racial hypocrisy, then he decides to start bucking the system and begins robbing every bank he comes in contact with. Andre Stander goes on to rob at least 26 banks while employed as a Johannesburg police captain, but he gets caught and goes to jail. A minor inconvenience, Stander breaks out of prison and goes on to rob another 20 or so banks for a period of six months. Stander and his two accomplices, Lee McCall and Allan Heyl, were known as the “Stander Gang.” Only one of them still lives.

“Stander,” it should be noted, is based on a true story.

Thomas Jane rules the roost in this movie. The guy is simply devoted to his craft and he completely commits himself to the character of Andre Stander. When he speaks, it is in a pitch perfect South African accent, which is a feat in and of its self. Speaking in an accent is hard enough (just ask Leonardo DiCaprio or Kevin Costner), but South African strikes me as especially difficult, with its myriad of dialects. Good for you, Mr. Jane, because I bought it for the duration of the running time.

And if Jane’s skills weren’t exemplary enough, he is matched in his commitment by a trio of supporting actors: Dexter Fletcher, David O’Hara and Deborah Kara Unger. Everyone seems to be doing overtime in the acting department.

Dexter Fletcher does what he always does, which is completely slip into character and vanish. He’s one of those actors that you see on screen and you know you recognize him, but what from? I’m telling you that ability is a godsend, nothing but pure talent. Fletcher is golden in whatever he’s in and it is no different with “Stander.” Keep your eyes and ears open for Fletcher’s new movie, “Autumn,” because it sounds awesome.

David O’Hara is probably best remembered as Stephen, the Irish, from ‘Braveheart.’ Since then, he’s been making his mark and landing substantial roles in any number of wide-release films, most recently in ‘Wanted,’ as the father of Mr. Tumnus. I like O’Hara, and he’s a great scene-stealer. There’s just something about him, the combo of distinctive features and a rather commanding voice. I can see this guy having a long career and I truly hope he gets to take the lead somewhere down the line. He turns in a really great performance in ‘Stander,’ one that matches Jane beat for beat in any scene they share.

Deborah Kara Unger plays Stander’s wife, Bekkie. Her chemistry with Jane is at the root of ‘Stander’s’ dramatic core. Their emotional investment in one another carries over into scenes where either character is alone, yet Unger and Jane’s mastery of silent, physical expression tells the audience that their missing partner is very much on their minds. Unger is good at pained, tragic characters and she puts that strength to good use. Like Jane, her accent never falters, never seems forced.

I also want to make quick mention of the score by David Holmes. It is amazing and, unfortunately, not available for purchase in any way shape or form. A shame, really. Just check out the trailer for a sample of Holmes’s talent†¦

Bronwen Hughes directed ‘Stander’. Or should I say, Bronwen Hughes directed the shit out ‘Stander.’ Seriously, what kind of massive talent is Bronwen Hughes? Will someone start funding this woman’s work on a consistent basis, please? Hughes turned out one of the best heist movies I’ve seen in a long time. None of that cheeky ‘Oceans 12’ nonsense, this is real and intense stuff, with actions that lead to serious consequences. Not to portray the movie as an exercise in doom and gloom, because there is certainly levity to be found among the brash exploits of the Stander Gang, but a tale like this does have an air of tragedy lingering throughout. It’s a hell of a ride to tragedy, though, that’s for sure.

Being based on real people and events and set against the backdrop of something as complicated as apartheid, I have to applaud the deft hand that went into crafting this story. The details necessary to truly grasp the enormity of Stander’s narrative, as well as the story of South Africa, are delivered with a precision that should be applauded by lovers of good cinema. A wonderful example of Hughes’s (and, in fairness, screenwriter Bima Stagg) concise storytelling is in the opening title sequence, which lays out the groundwork for not only the film’s setting but the socio-economic dynamics of Johannesburg.

The film opens with a bird’s eye view of the South African landscape, beginning with the desert and into the vast grasslands, the farms and the people, images that are most familiar to people foreign to the continent. Then the opening shifts to a far different vision, to Johannesburg, a vast metropolitan city. In the film’s commentary, Hughes compares it visually to Seattle and the comparison is fairly astute. The camera moves on from downtown and into the suburbs, over the grand homes with their swimming pools and tennis courts. Finally, we see the slums and the shacks inhabited by the poor. The economic gap is startling, especially because these slums and these mansions exist right across the road from one another. This opening sequence speaks volumes to the audience, and we haven’t even been introduced to the main characters. Bravo, Bronwen, bravo.

Hughes has had an interesting career up until ‘Stander’ and it is a diverse path, to say the least. For instance, Hughes directed the movie ‘Forces of Nature,’ but right before that she directed the Nickelodean picture ‘Harriet the Spy,’ and those two movies couldn’t be any further removed from one another in terms of story and content, however, the most surprising aspect of Hughes’s early career is her involvement with ‘The Kids in the Hall.’ She directed film segments of at least six different episodes in 1994. So it is a career that seems to have been born kicking and screaming to find its way, and ‘Stander’ definitely seems like the turning point, where years of natural ability collide with years of on-set experience and the end product is solid, confident and exciting cinema. Color me impressed with Miss Hughes.  Ã‚

So, what the hell happened? Why isn’t this considered one of the great crime movies of this generation? Who is to blame?

After careful consideration of the facts, I offer my verdict: I can’t really blame anyone.

‘Stander’ had North American distribution through Newmarket Films, a company – it seems – whose only interest is to help really cool independent films see the light of day. Just take a look at this sample of their releases from the past nine years:

Memento

Donnie Darko

Whale Rider

Monster

The Passion of the Christ

A Cock and Bull Story

The Prestige

Um, yeah, all those movies are pretty good and I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t own any of them. So, how did ‘Stander’ slip through the collective radar? What were we busy watching that year? Oh, wait, wasn’t that the year that ‘Van Helsing’ came rolling into the cinemas? Right. That must have been it.Â

In all fairness, ‘Stander’ didn’t have a wide release in North America. If you did get to see it in a theater, then consider yourself one of the lucky ones. And take a moment to thank Newmarket Films, because they at least made sure that the opportunity existed.

Anyway, the movie is on DVD. Rent it, buy it, just do what you do. The important thing is that you see it, because it’s really good.

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