91
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
Riveting true-life drama.
Stander
Critic Rating
(read reviews)User Rating
- Canada,
- Germany,
- South Africa,
- United Kingdom
- 2003
- · 116m
Director
Bronwen Hughes
Cast
Thomas Jane,
Dexter Fletcher,
Deborah Kara Unger,
David O'Hara,
Ashley Taylor,
Marius Weyers
Genre
Action,
Crime,
Drama
The life and exploits of Andre Stander, a South African police officer turned criminal. Based on a true story, this biography follows Stander from his early days as a rising police officer to his transformation into a notorious bank robber, pursued by the same force to which he once belonged.
Stream Stander
What are critics saying?
80
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
Crackles with forceful portrayals. Funny, violent, impassioned and inescapably poignant, Stander in no way sanctions Stander's turning to a life of crime yet has the courage to see him as a victim of apartheid himself.
80
Dallas Observer by Robert Wilonsky
The movie is stirringly, thrillingly animated; Stander, as some say around Johannesburg, lives.
80
Empire by Kim Newman
This needs its 'based on a true story' caption because otherwise you'd never believe it.
75
Premiere by Glenn Kenny
The action is great, the story line unpredictable, the ending satisfying. Stander is crackling. Really.
75
San Francisco Chronicle by Ruthe Stein
An extremely good picture that, with a little tweaking, might have been a great one.
70
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
Loses some its bearings once it turns into a caper movie. The movie hardly bothers to explain the mechanics of the jailbreak or of the robberies themselves, which take place in a flurry of disguises and stickups that has a Keystone Kops flavor.
70
The A.V. Club by Scott Tobias
The always-interesting Jane, a volatile and unpredictable character actor, fits the bill.
70
Film Threat
That all the events filmed actually took place make Stander a highly entertaining ride.
70
Film Threat by Pete Vonder Haar
That all the events filmed actually took place make Stander a highly entertaining ride.
67
Portland Oregonian by M. E. Russell
With his periodic porn-star mustache, shaggy hair and reckless demeanor, the movie Stander embodies a certain brand of brooding outlaw cool that feels increasingly rare.
60
L.A. Weekly by Scott Foundas
It can be thrilling to watch Stander and his gang of gentlemen bandits rack up the loot without ruffling their (or anyone else's) shirt collars. The movie isn't content to rest there, though; it wants to be a caper with a conscience.
60
Variety by Robert Koehler
Takes a notorious true story about a loyal soldier-turned-bank robber, and pumps it up into charged if uneven entertainment.
50
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
The story is so eager to highlight macho action scenes that it loses track of the important historical and political issues it raises.
40
Village Voice by Laura Sinagra
Kind of a bore.
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