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A scene in Alles Wat Mal Is (The Karoo Film Company)
What it’s about:
Helena Joubert (Erica Wessels) is a stay at home mom who is very, very frustrated. In between raising two kids, her failing relationship with varsity boyfriend turned husband Gustav (Louw Venter), and her journalist dreams being something of the past, Helena have lost herself. But when she reaches rock bottom, her alter ego arrives to save the day. Helena finds herself again through tackling a series of adventures and writing about them on her blog, Alles Wat Mal Is. And while all of this is happening, Helena smells a rat when cunning, sexy investor Elzaan Mostert (Christina Storm) sets her sights on Gustav as well as his company.
What we thought:
Alles Wat Mal Is kicks off with a scene that is the craziness of a morning routine with getting two kids fed and dressed and getting the husband on his way to work with a lunch pack. And while being a mom is probably the most crazy, hectic and underrated job in the world, the scene is just a bit over the top, which pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the film: over the top and really not that believable.
Before I go any further, I just have to say that I am not a mom… yet. And I have the utmost respect for all moms out there! So moving on…
Gustav is the one bringing in the money. Helena stays at home and now and then she writes little reviews about beauty products for small inserts in a magazine. She is frustrated.
She studied journalism and wanted to be an award-winning journalist – not review beauty products. Her and Gustav’s relationship has lost its spark, even sexy lingerie and a romantic candle-lit dinner doesn’t work. Helena feels ugly. Her boobs are too big and her hair has lost its shine. Gustav doesn’t communicate with her. And he is way too attached to his mother, who is not Helena’s biggest fan, and who just shows up unannounced.
How do I know all of this? Well, the story is actually being narrated by Helena herself, and her alter ego throughout the whole film. And while some of this may sound very familiar to many of us, and to many of us not familiar at all, the actors do not contribute to making this believable.
Louw Venter as Gustav is sporadic; his communication with Helena and his assumptions about her behaviour is odd and just doesn’t feel realistic. Erica Wessels on the other hand, is a bit more real, and brings a bit of warmth to the film. But overall, it just feels too random.
Through all of their marriage issues, Helena starts a blog and finds herself again.
Christina Storm also makes an appearance as Elzaan, an investor who tries to con Gustav.
This side story sort of hits one out of nowhere, and feels out of place. And of course Helena smells a rat as soon as she meets Elzaan and decides to investigate. In the end she does save Gustav, and his company and their marriage. But before the happy ending occurs, Gustav of course accuses her of being jealous and of losing her marbles.
I’m not sure who will actually like this film, but if you want to convince yourself that your life is not that bad, maybe go watch it. I’m sure you’ll feel better.
Helena Joubert (Erica Wessels) is a stay at home mom who is very, very frustrated. In between raising two kids, her failing relationship with varsity boyfriend turned husband Gustav (Louw Venter), and her journalist dreams being something of the past, Helena have lost herself. But when she reaches rock bottom, her alter ego arrives to save the day. Helena finds herself again through tackling a series of adventures and writing about them on her blog, Alles Wat Mal Is. And while all of this is happening, Helena smells a rat when cunning, sexy investor Elzaan Mostert (Christina Storm) sets her sights on Gustav as well as his company.
What we thought:
Alles Wat Mal Is kicks off with a scene that is the craziness of a morning routine with getting two kids fed and dressed and getting the husband on his way to work with a lunch pack. And while being a mom is probably the most crazy, hectic and underrated job in the world, the scene is just a bit over the top, which pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the film: over the top and really not that believable.
Before I go any further, I just have to say that I am not a mom… yet. And I have the utmost respect for all moms out there! So moving on…
Gustav is the one bringing in the money. Helena stays at home and now and then she writes little reviews about beauty products for small inserts in a magazine. She is frustrated.
She studied journalism and wanted to be an award-winning journalist – not review beauty products. Her and Gustav’s relationship has lost its spark, even sexy lingerie and a romantic candle-lit dinner doesn’t work. Helena feels ugly. Her boobs are too big and her hair has lost its shine. Gustav doesn’t communicate with her. And he is way too attached to his mother, who is not Helena’s biggest fan, and who just shows up unannounced.
How do I know all of this? Well, the story is actually being narrated by Helena herself, and her alter ego throughout the whole film. And while some of this may sound very familiar to many of us, and to many of us not familiar at all, the actors do not contribute to making this believable.
Louw Venter as Gustav is sporadic; his communication with Helena and his assumptions about her behaviour is odd and just doesn’t feel realistic. Erica Wessels on the other hand, is a bit more real, and brings a bit of warmth to the film. But overall, it just feels too random.
Through all of their marriage issues, Helena starts a blog and finds herself again.
Christina Storm also makes an appearance as Elzaan, an investor who tries to con Gustav.
This side story sort of hits one out of nowhere, and feels out of place. And of course Helena smells a rat as soon as she meets Elzaan and decides to investigate. In the end she does save Gustav, and his company and their marriage. But before the happy ending occurs, Gustav of course accuses her of being jealous and of losing her marbles.
I’m not sure who will actually like this film, but if you want to convince yourself that your life is not that bad, maybe go watch it. I’m sure you’ll feel better.
