"Goodbye Bafana" is a drama of good intentions and middling achievements. Although a solid, well-acted and generally serviceable crowd-pleaser, it's also relatively unremarkable and not as uplifting as it should be. The relationship between the guard and Mandela doesn't ring true while the transformation of the former never becomes believable, despite Finnes' best efforts. Overall, it's compelling and it has some sharp scenes, but the inevitable preaching and TV aesthetics bring it down.