Liefling – die movie is an Afrikaans film with English subtitles. It is a musical, featuring the music of a wide range of Afrikaans musicians. The film includes the music of amongst others Koos du Plessis, Steve Hofmeyr, Kurt Darren and Johannes Kerkorrel. The focus of the film is thus the music, specifically commercial Afrikaans music, and in that sense it is worthwhile to see the film, especially if you are interested in Afrikaans culture and music.
The cast is a mix of actors and musicians. One of the main characters is played by the Afrikaans singer Bobby van Jaarsveld, who was not convincing, but most of the actors and even some of the musicians starring in the film ranged between passable and impressive. The singer Kevin Leo plays a very convincing role, and his amazing voice is a treat. Some lesser known actors also made an impression, while well-known entertainers, amongst whom Elize Cawood, gave just the right amount of experienced charm to make the film enjoyable.
But the story is a disappointment, and one feels more could have been done. While the music is very entertaining, with new arrangements of many Afrikaans songs, ranging from very old folk songs to modern pop tunes, the nature of the storyline makes one feel at an early stage during the film that you are here for the music, since the story is very predictable.
Hopefully this film was just a stepping stone. Hopefully it is a sign of great things to come for the Afrikaans film industry in the near future. But as for Liefling – die movie, one can only say that you expected a little more than what you got. But this should not discourage anyone to watch it. 6/10
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