Originally titled simply Jerusalema , the film was renamed for international audiences to evoke the mood of a "gangster paradise," though it is more a commentary on broken dreams than a celebration of the criminal lifestyle.
The story follows Lucky Kunene (played by as an adult and Jafta Mamabolo as a teen), an intelligent young man from a poor single-parent home. Despite being accepted into a university, he lacks the funding to attend, leading him toward a life of petty crime to survive.
Lucky’s criminal career evolves from small-scale "smash and grabs" and carjacking (which he calls "affirmative repossession") to a highly sophisticated "building hijacking" scheme in the crime-ridden Hillbrow district. By winning over tenants and withholding rent from negligent landlords, he builds a massive real estate empire, ultimately drawing the attention of both the police and local drug lords.
(2008) is a gritty South African crime epic that explores the harsh realities of post-apartheid Johannesburg through the eyes of its anti-hero, Lucky Kunene .
Director Ralph Ziman used the film to take a "harsh but realistic look" at Johannesburg's evolution after 1994.
