Directed by Jenna Cato Bass, who also worked on the screenplay with, it appears, everyone in the cast, Good Madam is a drama with a nice shading of horror that will work for those who can accept and enjoy movies that make use of some genre trappings to reckon with some major societal issues and/or injustices. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anyone just looking for a horror movie, but it's a rewarding experience for those who can handle their art with some creepy and unnerving imagery used throughout.
Tsidi (Chumisa Cosa) doesn't have anywhere to stay. She ends up visiting her estranged mother, Mavis (Nosipho Mtebe), a woman who has spent her life in devoted service to a a white family, and the Madam (Jennifer Borraine) at the head of it. Madam is now bed-ridden, but Mavis remains just as devoted and acclimatised to the way of life that is the only one she has known for many years. Tsidi resents what she sees, especially when it stirs up the memories of her own upbringing, an experience she doesn't want to pass along to her own young daughter, Winnie (Kamvalethu Jonas Raziya).
In case you didn't extrapolate from that plot description, Good Madam is an exploration of apartheid in South Africa and the ongoing ramifications of that. Watching Mavis go about her usual day is like watching a recently-released prisoner acting too bewildered by the entirety of the world and choosing to keep themselves in a small indoor space where they feel safe and a bit more in control. It's a reminder that history isn't just history. It can be massive generational trauma that reverberates for decades.
Cosa is brilliant in her role, constantly striving to move forward through a life that seems intent on holding her back. Raziya and Mtebe are also very good, each one seeing the world around them with very different eyes. Sanda Shandu plays a vital part in the proceedings, and his character helps to embody what our lead is fighting against. Erasure and oppression are obvious when part of major events, but they are allowed to continue whenever people stop resisting the pressure.
I assumed that Good Madam was going to be a bit of a struggle for me to get through, considering the subject matter. Well, that was wrong. Very easy to get into, with the characters quickly established and the main theme twisted around every scene like a double-helix of DNA, and even one or two moments that delivered some standard horror imagery (although still not enough for anyone wanting a good helping of bloodshed and thrills). If you've had your interest piqued by any of this discussion then you should definitely make time for this. If not, however, there's nothing in the film that will win you over.
8/10
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