Bride Flight

Oh, what a tangled web we weave. But to how many webs do we belong? How many decisions were made outside our comprehension that changed the course of life forever? How many of those decisions became regrets? It doesn't really matter because yesterday happened, but it is interesting to consider the interconnected backstage of existence. And then tremble at the great unknown that is your parent's past. There's just so much we'll never know. And that's mostly OK. Bride Flight is a film that I admired because its leading characters were not only exquisitely defined, but their stories felt distinct and complete, almost separate within a greater whole. These people kept things from one another, and yet they were all so pivotal to each other. The dramatic irony fires on all cylinders. And the ensemble has absolutely excellent chemistry to pull it off. You never doubt the natural unfolding of events because every glance they give or catch is so engaging. New Zealand serves as a breathtakingly epic backdrop to this romance that jumps back and forth on a timeline much more gracefully than so many other examples. When it does jump back you start to become very happy certain rigid social customs have been left behind, and that's a testament to how fully yet subtly its realized. This was a pleasant surprise to watch.

This is an absolute GEM of a movie that tells the story of 3 women and 1 man who meet on a flight as they are emigrating in the early 50's from the Netherlands to New Zealand, leaving behind floods and terrible economic conditions. Many of the women on this flight(like our protagonists) have already accepted proposals of marriage from New Zealand men whom they have not even met. These 4 actors embark on a new life; but as things work out ,their lives become intertwined in unusual and unimagined ways.As events unfold, we see the consequences of decisions, some of which should have been reconsidered and were not,some which could be renounced and were, and some which were allowed to play out with tumultuous results.This intriguing saga is at times agonizing,at times uplifting, at times poignant but always compelling. The actors are excellent and fully photogenic! If you are interested in a superb,engrossing and captivating drama, get on board,buckle up and enjoy the flight.

On paper the story of Bride Flight might be told in 5 sentences but it's all executed in a convincing fashion with a keen and convincing eye for locale and historic atmosphere. The movie is about three women that fly to find their future in New Zealand in the fifties. On the plane is a man that will influence and tie their lives together in an unforeseen manner. The strength of the movie lies in the characters and the convincing way they are portrayed. Waldemar Torenstra is very convincing as the charismatic and Deanesque Frank that makes the other male characters (but not their performers) pale in comparison. Karina Smulders is delicious with her big naive gazing eyes. In fact the whole cast turns in solid performances and the young and old versions of the characters are very much in line with each other. All in all it's not an epic movie like "de Tweeling", director Ben Sombogaard previous movie, but it increasingly takes you by the throat as the story unwinds and relationships become clearer. A pity we did not see more of Rutger Hauer though.

Normally I'm not a big fan of Dutch films, but when a friend of mine convinced me to see it and I actually saw the film, I was just blown away! Nothing like the usual Dutch films I was used too, it was way better! to start with the cast, in one word fantastic!! It was so refreshing to see other actors and actresses than we see in so many Dutch films. Waldemar Torenstra, Anna Drijver, Karina Smulders (and of course the other actors/actresses) were really at their best!

When I read the plot outline I was expecting some sort of chick-flick, but it turned out to be a story with much more depth than I was expecting. the way the story unfolds itself is very clever and Ben Sombogaart deserves a big compliment for this. Then the setting, New Zealand, is perfect for this story. The laid-back people in contrast to the strict catholic dutchies was very interesting to witness. and of course, New Zealand is a beautiful country which leads to great shots!

This all makes me very happy that I came over my prejudices and went to see the film! I wouldn't have wanted to miss it and I can recommend it to everyone!

Bride Flight is an absolutely beautiful movie that serves as a window into the lives of 4 people, and the connections between them after they met and bonded on a plane to a new start in New Zealand. Its a romantic drama that takes it beyond just the romance shared between two of the characters and makes it about the relationships these four people have with each other throughout their lives. It goes beyond a love story and makes it a story about life, the relationships we have with the people around us, the choices we make, and the regrets and satisfactions that come from those choices after we've lived out our lives and reached old age. I'm not really into chick flick love stories, but the fact that it is more about life in general and the outcomes from our choices made the movie a lot more relevant to me. The four principle characters are absolutely fantastic! Their acting is superb and each one of them makes you fall in love with them in their own unique way. The ending is emotionally touching as the three women look back at the man that changed all their lives in a way they never thought possible, and ride away together reminiscing on the lives they've lived, and their relationships together. It's absolutely touching and beautiful!