Tsotsi (2005)
Kernel Score: 77% · 340 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Crime, Drama
Released: 2005-12-23
Runtime: 94 minutes
Where to watch Tsotsi
- Free with ads: Plex
- Rent: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
A young South African boy from the Johannesburg ghetto named Tsotsi, meaning Gangster, leaves home as a child to get away from his helpless parents. Now a teenage thug, Tsotsi finds a baby in the back seat of a car he's just stolen. He decides that it is his responsibility to care for the infant and in the process learns that maybe the criminal life isn’t the best way.
Tsotsi parents' guide: ages 13+
Parents need to know that this crime drama follows a teenage gangster in a Johannesburg slum who steals a car with a baby inside.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Rated R; includes hijacking, fighting, gang activity, and a murder as part of the crime plot.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Tsotsi
If you liked Tsotsi, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Boyz n the Hood (1991) — 86%
- Bound by Honor (1993) — 91%
- Fresh (1994) — 80%
- Menace II Society (1993) — 85%
- The Young and the Damned (1950) — 91%
- The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019) — 89%
- Le Cercle Rouge (1970) — 87%
- Election 2 (2006) — 82%
Director
Cast
- Presley Chweneyagae as Tsotsi
- Jerry Mofokeng as Morris
- Terry Pheto as Miriam
- Zenzo Ngqobe as Butcher
- Zola as Fela
- Rapulana Seiphemo as John Dube
- Nambitha Mpumlwana as Pumla Dube
- Percy Matsemela as Sergeant Zuma
- Thembi Nyandeni as Soekie
- Owen Sejake as Gumboot Dlamini
Tsotsi FAQ
Is Tsotsi good?
Tsotsi has a 77% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 340 audience ratings.
Where can I watch Tsotsi?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Plex and rent it from Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Tsotsi OK for kids?
Tsotsi is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 13+. Parents need to know that this crime drama follows a teenage gangster in a Johannesburg slum who steals a car with a baby inside.
What movies are like Tsotsi?
If you liked Tsotsi, try Boyz n the Hood, Bound by Honor, Fresh and Menace II Society.