Only fifteen years into its democracy, South Africa remains a fascinating study in contrasts. This may be why the South African cinema that best succeeds internationally confronts racial dynamics past and present. Shirley Adams is that rare exception. Here is a film that offers an intimate and restrained portrait of Cape Town today by keeping its focus on one family, and more specifically one woman. Intimate, disciplined and deeply affecting, this is a portrait of a mother whose world has been forever changed by an act of violence.
In a powerhouse performance, Denise Newman plays Shirley, a Cape Town resident whose teenaged son, Donovan (Keenan Arrison), was hit by a stray bullet in a gang shootout that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Already struggling to survive in the tough Cape Flats district, she finds the added challenge of Donovan's new disability almost more than she can take. It doesn't help that her husband walked out the door, unable to cope, or that hospital authorities suspect she's not up to the task of caring for her son.
They're not entirely wrong. Donovan's constant need for attention leaves Shirley in a state of perpetual exhaustion. With her husband's income gone, she finds herself shoplifting. Things becomes further complicated when the hospital steps in and assigns Tamsin (Emily Child), a young white woman, to assist with Donovan's care. Shirley can use the help but begins to feel threatened by a rival for her son's affections.
Stories about adjusting to life after a serious accident can easily slide into sentimentality, but debut director Oliver Hermanus steers clear of that pitfall from the start. By paying close attention to the detail of Shirley's actions and reactions, he draws an authentic, fully realized performance from Newman. Showing influences from both Mike Leigh and the Dardenne brothers, Hermanus keeps his approach observational as he brings us toward deeper and deeper empathy with a woman whose life might be a world away.
Cameron Bailey
Oliver Hermanus was born in Cape Town. He studied film at the University of Cape Town and later earned a scholarship to complete an M.A. in filmmaking at the London Film School. He began his career as a press photographer, covering events as diverse as the G-8 Summit and the Glastonbury Music Festival. He directed several short films before making his feature debut with
Shirley Adams (09).