I Am All Girls – Netflix Review (4/5)

I AM ALL GIRLS on Netflix is a crime thriller from South Africa about human trafficking. This is essentially a revenge/vigilante story that works very well. Obviously, the subject is tough and brutal. However, that just makes the story all the more important to tell. Read our full I Am All Girls movie review!

I AM ALL GIRLS is a new Netflix crime thriller about human trafficking. More specifically, it’s about children being trafficked and abused. All for money and power. This is a movie from South Africa, but the story spans several countries and the story is relevant worldwide.

The subject of young girls being abused and exploited is definitely tough to watch. Still, it’s also very much based on the way the world actually is. Personally, I think this movie is very important and also worth watching for entertainment as a crime thriller.

Continue reading our I Am All Girls movie review below and find it on Netflix now.

Crime in South Africa

It’s a South African movie and based on true events. Because this story begins in 1994 and takes place in South Africa, the issue of Apartheid also plays a part. Not one that is focused on, but more as a reason why some things have been swept under the proverbial rug.

The story then continues in the present because human trafficking of young girls hasn’t exactly diminished.

Overall, this is a revenge story where those abusing children are swiftly punished with a death sentence. On a personal note, I always like seeing bad guys being punished. Mostly because it happens far too rarely in the real world. Not just in South Africa, but all over the world. Money and power have a way of helping people get away with the worst actions.

Female protagonists

Because the abuse of girls is at the heart of I Am All Girls, it should come as no surprise that the main protagonists are women. It could, however, be a surprise to many that the two key characters in this movie are in a relationship with each other. Yes, we’re getting LGBTQ characters in this South African movie and it works extremely well in an organic way.

It isn’t key to the story nor is it a separate storyline. It just is.

I’m not that familiar with movies from South Africa so I can’t claim that I found the actors familiar. I have seen quite a few productions from South Africa by now and the acting is always impressive. As is the production quality for that matter. Also, it should go without saying, but obviously, there are many black actors in this movie. More than white actors, and really, that seems only right!

Watch I Am All Girls on Netflix now!

Donovan Marsh is the director of I Am All Girls. His previous movie was Hunter Killer from 2018 which starred Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman. Personally, I first came across this director when I saw the wonderful Spud from 2010 starring Troye Sivan and John Cleese. A true feel-good movie. Sure, I Am All Girls has a “feel good”-quality in terms of revenge, which is often sweet, but in a very different way.

Donovan Marsh also participated in the writing of this new Netflix movie. The other writers attached are Wayne Fitzjohn, Marcell Greeff, Emile Leuvennink, and Jarrod de Jong. As far as I can see on IMDb, most of these writers are relative newcomers.

I would give I Am All Girls a rating of 3½ out of 5, but since we don’t do half stars, I want to make it 4. Mostly because of the important topic and the sober way in which the story of the victims is shown.

I Am All Girls is out on Netflix from May 14, 2021.

Details

Director: Donovan Marsh
Writers: Wayne Fitzjohn, Marcell Greeff, Emile Leuvennink
Stars: Erica Wessels, Hlubi Mboya, Masasa Mbangeni, Deon Lotz, Brendon Daniels, Mothusi Magano