Themes: Escape From Prison, Crime Sprees, Fighting the System
Main Cast: Thomas Jane, Dexter Fletcher, David Patrick O'Hara, Deborah Kara Unger, Ashley Taylor
Release Year: 2003
Country: ZA/UK/CA/DE
Run Time: 116 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A lawman fed up with the corruption in Apartheid-era South Africa takes to robbing banks in this gritty crime drama from writer/director Bronwen Hughes. The title Stander refers to Andre Stander (Thomas Jane), an ambitious second-generation policeman whose strategies and experience make him the perfect candidate for commander. But when the privileged Stander is chosen to direct the police force against a brutal, majority-led uprising in Soweto, he becomes so disgusted with his actions that he decides to undermine his own authority as an officer. His means for doing so is to moonlight as a bank robber, partly out of disgust for the force and partly as an adrenalin-fueled act of deception. After pulling more than two dozen heists, Stander is caught -- but it isn't long before he breaks out of jail, and fortified by two hardened-criminal pals, Lee (Dexter Fletcher) and Allan (David Patrick O'Hara), he resumes his anti-authoritarian crime sprees. Stander premiered at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
Stander received mostly positive reviews from critics. Movie magazine Empire gave it four stars out of five saying "a star turn that shifts Jane up a notch or two". Nev Pierce of the BBC gave it four stars as well. It is rated Fresh at 72% and received a Fresh rating of 75% on "Cream of the Crop" on the Rotten Tomatoes website.[1]
The filmmakers were able to talk to Allan Heyl, one of Andre Stander's accomplices who was still in prison; Cor van Deventer, his police partner; and the warden of the prison where Andre was incarcerated.[3][2]
Allan Heyl was released on parole on May 18th, 2005.[4]
Awards and nominations (2005)
The film was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction.
