As the tagline of the movie says, "Pad na jou hart" is a movie about finding your True North and it is this theme that sticks with me and keeps bringing my mind back to the movie even some time after seeing it.
It follows the story of young ambitious Businessman Basson van Rensburg (Ivan Botha) who has 5 days to get to Cape Town for his Father's funeral. If he does this and completes several tasks along the way he will become CEO of the family business. What follows is a road trip where he meets the free-spirited Amory (Donnalee Robberts) as well as a variety of colourful characters that challenges Basson's sheltered and narrow world views.
It is the type of plot that has been seen before, but where the film really shines is in it's sincerity. The moments that are created are heartfelt and real. The supporting cast consists of some of the heavyweight veterans of South African film who are at their best and give depth to their full-round characters and their stories. The on-screen chemistry between the two lead characters works and the viewer really becomes part of their adventurous road trip and their struggles.
One thing that really irks me of some Afrikaans films is the over-use of clichés and I can honestly say that this film was very well written and steers clear of such clichés: The characters are original rather than carbon copies from other films; the humour is light and fresh and the dialogue has a "real" human tone to it. Subtle, unobtrusive suggestions guide the viewer's hopes and fears for the characters and the plot keeps surprising.
The choice of music strongly contributes to the road trip mood of the movie and the landscapes and people showcase the diversity and beauty of South Africa. A road trip between Johannesburg and Cape Town is a theme that resonates strongly with many South Africans (including me) and it is probably the celebration of this theme that will make me buy the DVD once it's released.
The movie is much more than just a Romance between a guy and a girl - it is an adventure Romance that confronts you with the question of whether you're truly following your heart. It stays with me.
