VITAL STATS Director: Bronwen Hughes Cast: Thomas Jane, Ashley Taylor, Dexter Fletcher, Deborah Kara Unger, David O'Hara Classification: Drama Running Time: 108 minutes Synopsis: Based on the true story of a South African police officer who became a notorious bank robber in the 1970s and 1980s, although he was seen as an anti-hero of sorts by the general public.

I was quite apprehensive about seeing and reviewing the film for a number of reasons. Firstly, very few Hollywood stars manage to get South African accents right. Secondly, it is a period piece, and authentic props and scenes are important. Lastly, I had heard and read that the film could portray Andre Stander as almost an anti-apartheid activist, which he definitely was not.

Almost any South African of about 30 years of age would certainly recall the fuss created by former policeman Andre Stander and his two henchmen, Alan Heyl (who is still in prison in SA) and Patrick Lee McCall (who was shot dead by the police) as they led a life on the run, robbing banks and making the authorities look more like the Keystone cops in their bungled efforts to catch them.

The story is in the great tradition of the servant turning against his master, and in particular, of policemen turning against the system they have sworn to uphold.

Legends in this vein include the Australian bushranger Ned Kelly, who was a British soldier in the 1800s, and various Hollywood movies that have explored the theme in one way or another.

However, this was a real life drama that unfolded when SA was about to go through one of its most turbulent periods and the police service was the key pillar in upholding the state's structure. Stander's escapades made a mockery of that.

It was also a time of long hair, big moustaches and when men were men – a state of mind typified by rugby player Naas Botha's comment around that time of “cowboys don't cry”.

Stander's conversion to the criminal side was, according to the movie, a result of what would today be called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, after shooting an unarmed black teenager during riot duty in the township of Thembisa in the 1970s.

American actor Thomas Jane manages to fill Stander's shoes well. Apart from a few slips, his mastery of “Sarf Effrican” English is excellent and his interaction with the other characters is also brilliant.

The movie is filmed in an interesting way, which takes it out of the typical Hollywood action scene. The almost grainy images are reminiscent of the newscasts of the time and the close-up shots make sure you concentrate on the characters, rather than the overall situation.

Props and costumes are extremely well done. Uniforms are authentic of the era and it is also great to see those old Fords and Chevrolets on the road again.

The one part that was not accurate was the picture of the “Lilly Rose” – the yacht that Stander and his henchmen decided to escape on.

I remember it well because at the beginning of 1984 when he was on the run, I was placed in charge of the security detail of a few SA Navy conscripts to secure the yacht for the police at Simons Town.

I remember the police being quite nervous about it and one, I clearly remember saying to me, “With the Navy protecting the yacht, Stander won't try and steal it back. Will he?”

The film handles the conflict of a good-cop-turned-bad and the prodigal son who wants to be safe quite well, and is achieved without being too schmaltzy.

It ends with Stander's death in Fort Lauderdale in the US and while one may feel sorry for him, somehow you still remember that “cowboys don't cry”.

The film is 108 minutes long and I enjoyed every single one of them.