Movie Review: Seconds
One-liner: Strong performances and sharp writing elevate this downbeat yet authentic, gritty and vicious boxing crime drama.
Seconds is a crime drama that journeys with Seconds Khumalo, a veteran boxer on the cusp of his last big fight. Set in the East Rand of Johannesburg, contractual obligations force the boxer to comply with the wishes of a hardened family whose boxing management business is taken over by an ill-equipped 32-year-old daddy’s boy. When the family feels their unspoken contract may be broken, they take matters into their own hands.
Seconds is a dangerous and gritty kitchen sink style film that portrays a rough neighbourhood and many tough characters who have come to rely on the sport to make ends meet. Creating a dog-eat-dog environment, Liese Kuhn has crafted a moody and rather bleak atmosphere that echoes the long-suffering career of a pugilist who must confront his own demons.
A strong feature film debut for actor-turned-director Kuhn, Seconds is a modest production. The film works well within its constraints, serving up an actor’s showcase and remaining transfixed on its curious array of characters, playing into the seedy underbelly of the sport.
The criminal underworld festers as a dignified man tries to keep his head above the water and exit the scene without taking damage. Armed with a stellar local ensemble, it’s no wonder the film received numerous acting nominations at this year’s SAFTAs ceremony, led by a SAFTA-winning performance from Vusi Kunene with a supporting win for the late Adrian Alper and a nomination for Mmabatho Mogomotsi.
There’s an echo in the way the veteran actor runs parallel with his character, having been a relentless contender within the industry. Exhibiting grace under fire, Kunene captures the weathered feeling behind the eyes of his character, sporting a been there and done that look. A butcher by day, he has the ability to embody the character’s history in his bones through an authentic and nuanced performance. A consummate professional, his lead performance honours a strong casting decision and the actor rises to the challenge of an emotionally and physically intense role.
He’s supported by Carel Nel, whose sharp performance demonstrates just how dependable he is, immersing himself in the role and unearthing a sleazy and vivid portrait as Jerry van Tonder. In a naturalistic turn that seems like the actor has been plucked from the very world he’s representing, comes Tony Caprari, who adds a strong dose of documentary realism in an utterly convincing performance as Pa van Tonder.
“Try me. I dare you.”
Then it’s Adrian Alper, who arrives late to steal the show as the charming, effusive and devious Bambi with an award-winning supporting performance. This brilliant turn caps a fine career and serves as a swan song. Then last but not least, Mmabatho Mogomotsi cuts through the toxic masculinity and bleak atmosphere with a more hopeful turn as the aptly named Sunshine, conveying a purity, optimism and lightness of spirit in the dark.
Adopting natural lighting and on-location shooting, there’s a docu-realism at play in Seconds. This adds to the authenticity of the film, creating an urgency and unpredictability with a sense of the spontaneous. Cantankerous characters add to the suspense as tensions mount. Kuhn is preoccupied with character and story integrity, aiming to unearth a sense of real in every scene rather than opting for sensation or heightened sense of style, allowing Seconds to unfold in an ordinary world without any frills.
This serves to zoom in on the dialogue and performances and to its credit, Seconds knows its limits and harnesses the power of its raw screenplay and moody performances to great effect. Restraint is the name of the game, and Seconds hits home with powerful emotions and an air of slow-creeping doom, using escalating suspense to turn the heat up on this boxing crime drama. The realism does contribute to a vivid story and grounded characters, yet the downbeat handling and syphoning of colour may not gel with mainstream tastes.
In Seconds’ case, having the sizzle without the flash, the focus here is much more on drama with a pensive atmospheric energy that compels the film, but as a pure spectacle, it may be found wanting when it comes to modern appetites. Much of this could be attributed to working on a film with budgetary constraints, but Seconds is making this project perform beyond its means in terms of overall quality. Keeping things to a low profile, there are some sacrifices with the docu-realism serving as a double-edged sword, adding authenticity to the actor’s showcase, yet diminishing the aesthetic appeal.
Seconds is spoiled with an array of performances that captures some career-bests with writing that underscores this sentiment. While Seconds may not be an eye-popping affair, it carries weight and substance – a serious contender that, while a bit sombre, knows how to land a punch. A mature feature film, the crime drama is inspirational in the way it manages its resources and should serve as a strong example of how to craft a respectable and important film without having to break or rob the bank.
The bottom line: Gritty
