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Goodbye Bafana Reviews

2007

70
from 14,809 members

"Goodbye Bafana" is the true story of a white South African racist whose life was profoundly altered by the black prisoner he guarded for twenty years. The prisoner's name was Nelson Mandela. Read more

Starring	Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert, Diane Kruger, Shiloh Henderson
Director	Bille August
Genres	Drama

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Critic's review of Goodbye Bafana
View all critics' reviews (5)
- Full marks to director Bille August for achieving the near-impossible: crafting a film about Nelson Mandela that... read more on Time Out
- 50084
- - Dave Calhoun
  - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:20
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Most helpful member's review of Goodbye Bafana
View all members' reviews (216)
- - 71
  - 1
  An enjoyable insight. . .
  
  I found this film to be a very enjoyable piece, showing something of the history of South Africa. Even if Mandela wasn't a character in the film it would be... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 479964
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Matt Raubenheimer
  - South Africa
  - 27 Sep 2007 at 09:59
Most recent members' reviews of Goodbye Bafana
View all members' reviews (216)
- - 0
  - 0
  An Education
  
  Loved it and it was an education. Would recommend to anyone and would watch again. The acting was fabby dabby.
  
  Report this review
- 1078301
- - Bellbelle
  - 2 reviews
  - 03 Jan 2012 at 23:08
- - 0
  - 0
  Would watch again
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  Very good !
  
  Very enjoyable film and beautifully photographed. Still very much of the moment and a good history lesson. Fiennes was excellent.
  
  Report this review
- 1031124
- - a customer
  - 19 Aug 2011 at 11:48
- - 0
  - 0
  Well worth watching
  
  Another good film about apartheid to rank alongside 'Cry Freedom'. Joseph Fiennes did a very credible South-African accent, unlike diCaprio in '... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1024056
- - CeeDee
  - 2 reviews
  - Reading
  - 01 Aug 2011 at 15:12
- - 0
  - 0
  big change can come in small steps
  
  I really enjoyed this film-it felt authentic and reflected most of the things I have read in books about around that time.It was thought provoking and reflected... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1021497
- - roo84
  - 11 reviews
  - yorkshire
  - 25 Jul 2011 at 14:53
- - 1
  - 0
  Humanising the cogs in the apartheid machine
  
  A true story? Hmmm. Anybody interested in history as opposed to mawkish, saccharine versions of it should read this article by Andrew Meldrum,
  
  www.... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1019839
- - hemlock
  - 5 reviews
  - 20 Jul 2011 at 23:56
- - 0
  - 0
  great movie
  
  Good movie as im interested in Apartheid era. Very thought provoking and deals with some tough issues. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
  
  Report this review
- 1013555
- - maccapacca
  - 2 reviews
  - 05 Jul 2011 at 21:46
- - 0
  - 0
  good film
  
  was a very enjoyable fewl good filem. fiennes very good. good as the book would watch again. haysbert played nelson well i thought
  
  Report this review
- 1002409
- - harrypotterfanatic
  - 15 reviews
  - Rochdale
  - 08 Jun 2011 at 23:07
- - 0
  - 0
  Interesting but not what it says on the tin
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  An interesting film and worth watching, but the description is inaccurate. The guard was supposed to be racist, but you could see that he never really was, was ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 994086
- - Fewfilms
  - 1 review
  - 17 May 2011 at 21:52
- - 1
  - 0
  Goodbye Bafana
  
  Fantastic film, brilliantly acted. Well worth watching.
  
  The relationship between Mandela and the guard was compassionate and respectful and showed ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 985074
- - a customer
  - 22 Apr 2011 at 10:40
- - 2
  - 0
  Worth watching
  
  Enjoyed the film. probably a bit too long though. Fiennes was excellent as the prison warder & did a credible S.African accent; Worth watching.
  
  Report this review
- 965790
- - fussyfilmbuff
  - 31 reviews
  - Suffolk
  - 19 Feb 2011 at 19:43
View all members' reviews (216)

- - 71
  - 1
  An enjoyable insight. . .
  
  I found this film to be a very enjoyable piece, showing something of the history of South Africa. Even if Mandela wasn't a character in the film it would be... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 479964
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Matt Raubenheimer
  - South Africa
  - 27 Sep 2007 at 09:59
- - 36
  - 11
  Good story, but far too much American influence!
  
  Having watched the trailer to this movie, I cringed at the South African accents, but decided to see this movie, despite that flaw. I lived in South Africa for ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 443184
- - a customer
  - North London
  - 24 May 2007 at 14:56
- - 29
  - 5
  27 YEARS IN 1 AND HALF HOUR SKIP THIS ONE IF YOUR LOOKING TO IDENTIFY WITH A TRUE STORY THAT WILL MAKE YOU THINK
  
  very dull film powerful stroy with no emotion and weak acting and filming.Overall lack details as what is happening to mandela and is telling 27 years in 1 and ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 502092
- - ronny vidot
  - Brentford
  - 08 Dec 2007 at 01:15
- - 15
  - 0
  One To Watch
  
  'Goodbye Bafana' is a film everyone should watch as it portrays s part of Nelson Mandela's life and subsequent imprisonment which changed the coarse... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 495422
- - a customer
  - England
  - 16 Nov 2007 at 11:09
- - 7
  - 0
  Very refreshing...Goodbye Bafana
  
  This educated me slightly about the conditions Nelson Mandela had to go through during his imprisonment. Though it was a bit flat in terms of arousing my ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 507122
- - nell4tune
  - 19 reviews
  - Feltham
  - 28 Dec 2007 at 22:35
- - 7
  - 0
  Goodbye Bafana
  
  My wife and I enjoyed the film , had a little difficulty getting my head round a 6ft 4 American playing a 5ft 4 South African but it was overall well made , ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 510582
- - hammers
  - 11 reviews
  - Stranraer
  - 08 Jan 2008 at 23:47
- - 7
  - 1
  Excellent
  
  This film is about Nelson Mandela's jailer and the relationship between them. It kept me glued to the screen the whole way through!
  
  Report this review
- 506023
- - a customer
  - scotland
  - 22 Dec 2007 at 08:09
- - 7
  - 2
  un - believable
  
  As a South African, I'd hoped for more from this movie, the acting was terrible, the accents were completely out, especially that of Nelson Mandela, and the... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 507543
- - a customer
  - Sheffield
  - 30 Dec 2007 at 14:29
- - 6
  - 0
  Thought provoking
  
  Well acted, good script, interesting story
  
  Report this review
- 497924
- - a customer
  - Harrogate
  - 24 Nov 2007 at 12:05
- - 5
  - 0
  Fantastic viewing
  
  Goodbye Bafana is a great film about the relationship between a prison guard and Nelson Mandela when he was imprisoned on Robbin Island.
  
  It spans 3 ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 511121
- - pixie
  - 212 reviews
  - Redruth
  - 10 Jan 2008 at 09:44

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Critics' reviews
- Full marks to director Bille August for achieving the near-impossible: crafting a film about Nelson Mandela that... read more on Time Out
- 50084
- - Dave Calhoun
  - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:20
- A nice performance from Fiennes, whose impersonation of Mandela is incidentally very good
- 258468
- - The Guardian
  - 28 Mar 2012 at 03:33
- The melodrama is a rose-tinted homage... but affecting too
- 258469
- - The Times
  - 28 Mar 2012 at 03:33
- Earnest and well-meaning
- 258470
- - Variety
  - 28 Mar 2012 at 03:33
- Interesting story
- 258467
- - Empire
  - 28 Mar 2012 at 03:33

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- Goodbye Bafana
  
  "Goodbye Bafana" is the true story of a white South African racist whose life was profoundly altered by the black prisoner he guarded for twenty years. The prisoner's name was Nelson Mandela....