Invictus

This week’s DVD was Invictus.

It’s 1995 and Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) is the newly elected President of South Africa after 27 years of imprisonment. His desire is to unite his nation after years of separation - he decides that rugby may well be the way. As their country hosts the Rugby World Cup, he issues a challenge to the captain of the Springboks (Matt Damon) and his team of underdogs and poor performers to win the Cup for their nation.

On paper possibly not that appealing, especially for non-rugby fans (which is most of my SA readers!). However, you don’t have to understand anything about rugby to appreciate it (like Moneyball and baseball which we saw recently – also recommended viewing).

Directed by Clint Eastwood, this is a great movie that gives an insight into post-apartheid South Africa and how sport can unite a nation. And for light-hearted fun you can hear how badly American actors do South African accents, at times sounded like a room full of Australian, Kiwis, English and South Africans.

My husband remembers this World Cup and he knew from the beginning what was going to happen. Even with that, he enjoyed it and the re-telling of the story. I could not remember the details (but ask me about the 2003 World Cup Final – that one I remember!), so I was engrossed in the final game.

Give the man in your life a break from chick-flicks and try this sometime – you’ll probably find you like it too!