When It Melts

Veerle Baetens makes a remarkable directorial debut in a film where the acting, particularly the young Eva's performance, stands out. Her talent suggests a promising future in the industry. The movie takes its time to build, leading to a touching and shocking ending that leaves a lasting impact. While the camerawork may be a bit messy, it complements the overall atmosphere of the film. The color grading, especially in contrasting flashbacks and the present, enhances the movie's flow. Kudos to Baetens for her directorial skills, and anticipation builds for what she might bring to future projects.

As "When It Melts" (2023 release from Belgium; 111 min/; original title "Het Smelt") opens, we are introduced to Eva, a woman in her late 20s or early 30s. She arrives in the small town she grew up in. To participate in a celebration of the memory of Jan, the bigger brother of her friend Tim. In flashbacks we then go back to when Eva was 13... At this point we are less than 10 minutes into the film.

Couple of comments: this is the directing debut of Veerle Baetens, the well-known Belgian/Flemish actress. Here she brings the bestseller of the same name to the big screen. Let me state up front that the story is plot-heavy so the less said about that, the better. I myself knew literally nothing about the story going into seei.ng this. Beware: there are several scenes that likely will make you ill at ease, and for god reason. But it is part of the movie's essence. In the end I found this movie very moving but not in the way that I had expected it.

I hail originally from the Flemish part of Belgium (the part that speaks Dutch a/k/a Flemish). During a recent visit back to Antwerp, Belgium, my original hometown before I moved to the US), it was clear that this movie was making a considerable impact on the public at large. I went to see it at Antwerp's local art-house theater called The Cartoon's. The Saturday matinee screening where I saw this at was attended very well (I counted roughly 40 people in the audience). I'm quite sure it's just a matter of time before this starts streaming in the US on Netflix or Amazon Prime, which both are quick to jump on quality foreign movies. If you are in the mood for a coming of age film that is not your run of the mill coming of age, I'd readily suggest you check this out when it starts streaming in the US, and draw your own conclusion.

'This is heavy', I heard the woman next to me whisper to her friend while watching 'When It Melts'. It is. At least, some of the scenes are. Director Veerle Baetens doesn't shy away from scenes that are painful to watch. She shows rather explicitly why Eva, the main character, is a traumatized young woman. And why she decides to turn the page of this trauma for once and for all.

The film switches between the present, showing how Eva plans to return from Brussels to the village where she grew up, and the past, showing the events leading to the traumatizing experience which has ruined her life. On her way to the village, she loads a large block of ice in her car. Gradually, as the movie advances, the audience gets clues about why she does that. But only in the last minutes, her ultimate plan is revealed.

This is not a film that lets the viewer read between the lines. Everything is made clear, at the end of the film there's nothing left unexplained. Some scenes could perhaps have been less explicit. It would have given the film a different feel. But even so, this is a very strong movie. The screenplay is exactly right, giving the right amount of information to move the plot forward without any distracting sidelines. The editing is also very tight, wich must not have been easy given the large amount of flashbacks. Teenage actress Rosa Marchant, who plays 13-year old Eva, got an award at Sundance for her excellent performance, but I was equally impressed by the understated way Charlotte De Bruyne plays the adult Eva, terribly hurt and full of anger, but showing it in a very subtle way.

The theme of the film is the difference between being a child and being a teenager, but it is not a coming of age story. It lacks the nostalgic view many directors have on being a teenager. It's a brutal film, more concerned with explaining what caused Eva's trauma than by highlighting typical teenage problems.

'When It Melts' is an adaptation of a 2016 novel by the same name, which was an absolute hit in the Belgian bestseller lists. Lots of moviegoers will undoubtedly have read the book, so they know the plot. The experience is better when you don't know what's coming, but even if you do the movie is certainly worth seeing.

Great acting performance of the young Eva and in fact of other (Flemish) actors. Good rhythm, starting slow and nice and building up to a thrilling end.

The movie is following more or less the storyline of the book although the book is more descriptive and can be recommended as well.

At the end of the movie the theatre was very quiet (although there were quite some spectators) showing the emotional effect of the movie ... I would recommend this excellent movie to all people and especially parents. The movie shows the importance to grow up in a safe and warm environment and how you family can have an impact on the rest of your life. The general theme of the movie is very universal and unfortunately also recognisable.