Talk:Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema

The film begins with Lucky Kunene lying on a bed, covered in blood. Police officers barge into his room and arrest him for murder charges. The film cuts to the interrogation room, where Kunene says he will provide his full back-story.

The rest of the film tells Kunene's life story leading up to his arrest. The story begins with Kunene and his friend Zakes as teenagers living in the Soweto Township. Lucky learns he has not earned a scholarship to continue his education. In need of money, Kunene and Zakes meet a local crime lord, Nazareth, who was formerly a Russian-trained guerrilla.[4] Nazareth sets up Lucky and Zakes with several small-time robberies. These crimes escalate to large-scale car-jackings, prompting Lucky to give up his educational aspirations. Lucky's final robbery goes horribly wrong, leaving Nazareth imprisoned and much of his crew dead. Lucky and Zakes narrowly escape. They decide to lie low and move to Johannesburg.

At this point, the film skips ahead ten years. Lucky and his friend now run a taxi business in the Hillbrow section of Johannesburg. They lose their business after Lucky himself is carjacked. Frustrated with his living conditions and inability to obtain economic mobility, Lucky creates the "Hillbrow People’s Housing Trust". The trust allows Kunene to build an empire of apartment buildings in Hillbrow. He promises residents half price on their rent. Kunene collects all the residents's rent, then negotiates aggressively with landlords so that they accept the reduced rent. Kunene becomes a Robin Hood figure, gaining the title "The Hoodlum of Hillbrow". As Kunene builds his empire of residential buildings, Detective Blakkie Swart builds a case against Kunene.[5][6]

Kunene next meets a white South African woman, Leah Friedlander. He helps rescue her brother, a drug addict, from drug dealers. After their encounter, Kunene begins a relationship with her. Kunene and Leah buy a house in the suburbs and move in together.[7]

Kunene's success is marred throughout the second half of the film by a drug dealer named Tony Ngu. Kunene wants Ngu to leave so that he can build his empire without interference from drug lords. Nazareth, a member of Lucky's housing trust, becomes involved with Ngu and is eventually busted for drugs. Lucky describes the bust as "exactly the excuse Swart needed" to begin making arrests and demolishing Lucky's buildings.[6]

Ngu, determined to fight back against Lucky's attempts to force him away, entices Leah's brother with drugs to sneak out of Lucky's house. Lucky goes after Leah's brother, but he is found dead. A troubled Lucky contemplates with Zakes about killing Ngu. Soon after, they are involved in a drive-by shooting , where Zakes is murdered. Lucky gathers his crew and storms a strip club where Ngu is spending the night. A furious gunfight ensues. Lucky murders Nazareth, and sustains serious injuries himself. Lucky chases Ngu onto the roof of the club. Ngu pleads with Lucky, telling him he will do anything to have his life spared. Lucky responds "can you bring Zakes back?" He shoots Ngu and pushes him off the roof. At this point, the back-story has caught up to the opening scene of the film. Lucky, bloodied and lying in bed, is arrested for murder [6]

In prison, Kunene quickly orchestrates his own escape. Kunene feigns illness, and is transported from prison to the hospital. There, Kunene is under less security. With the help of his remaining friends, he escapes and resides in Durban where he always dreamed of living there.

Cast