Long description
The well known comic genre of Shuster is back as Mama Jack. Set in Cape Town, we meet Jack Theron a man in his 50's who works as a grip in the film industry. Although a likeable character, he has never been successful with women and tends to try too hard. He is the "clown" on set, always cracking a joke and making those around him laugh. Jack's best friend is Shorty Dandala, a make-up artist, with whom Jack has worked together for years.
Whilst working on the set of a film about Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, Jack manages to frustrate the American director John, to such an extent that he resorts to spiking Jack's drink to get rid of him. At a high profile function filled with dignitaries and the who's who of the film industry, a beautiful guest, American Star Rivonia Ryder is presented to the public. As a result of his spiked drink, Jack soon starts to hallucinate and causes havoc at the function, resulting in Rivonia being knocked unconscious.
The events of the evening ends in a police chase and Jack finally makes it back to his room at Shorty's house where an escape plan is hatched. Shorty disguises Jack as a black woman, Mama Jack and this is where the fun really starts.
Jack sees that his picture all over television and the newspapers and he soon realises that he has to keep a low profile, although he is totally unrecognisable as Mama Jack. In an effort to avoid police officers, Jack finds himself in a mansion belonging to an American woman, Angela, who mistakes Jack, now referred to as Mama, for the housekeeper she has requested from an agency and sets him to work immediately. The two hit it off immediately and become friends. Angela's six year old daughter, Ricky is also entranced by Mama.
It is only a matter of time when Jack discovers that the man of the house is none other than John - the director from the film set. It is evident that he and Angela do not have a happy relationship and Mama overhears the argument when Angela gives John back the engagement ring.
Whilst Jack knows he cannot stay disguised as Mama indefinitely, he realises that he is probably in the safest place possible and believes too, that he has been sent to John's house by providence. He sets out on mission "to nail John in his own house" and we witness the "pranks" that Mama plays on John, like over-chlorinating the swimming pool resulting in Greg's hair turning green, tampering with John's computer, and filling John's cap with hair removal cream with obvious results.
Jack finds himself falling in love with Angela and comes up with yet another character to disguise himself as in the form of Donald, a Scottish doctor. He tells her a long and involved emotional story of his lost family and believing every word, Angela falls in love with Donald. This is helped along by Ricky's obvious admiration for Donald.
The adventures accumulate and when Producer Stanley Radebe comes to dinner at Angela and John's home, he falls for Mama in a big way. Mama suggests that the character of the angel (supposed to be played by Rivonia) in the movie should be black, Stanley agrees and invites Mama to come for an audition the following day. John is stunned. Mama does get the role, and at the "wrap" party Mama tries to expose John for who he really is and what he did to Jack Theron. Unfortunately Mama loses her skirt and is revealed as Jack.
Angela is devastated to discover that Mama is in fact Donald who is in fact Jack Theron. She refuses to see him again. However, the producers of the film love Mama Jack in her role and all is forgiven. Jack desperately pursues Angela and eventually catches up with her on Table Mountain where she is conducting a tour for the domestics. He almost kills himself but manages to declare his love for her. John arrives on the scene, also proposing to Angela. He produces an enormous diamond ring and it seems that Angela is going to accept. At this point Angela manages to trick John into confessing that he was behind doping Jack and this is all caught on video by a Taiwanese tourist.
Angela and Jack are married and as they drive away from the church, their car accidentally connects with John and he is dragged behind the car all the way up Chapman's peak where he finally falls over the cliff.