Vir Altyd

I have to give this movie a 10 because I watched it all the way through even without subtitles. The thing is, I ALWAYS have subtitles on, as I'm old enough to sometimes have difficulty hearing.

I'd dozed off and woke up to this movie just starting. I'm not usually interested in romances but something caught my attention - the beauty of the actors and photography and scenery plus a language I didn't recognize. Then I was pulled in further by the wedding reception that happened without the groom or guests, followed by the bride and her friend waking up to a pilot announcing they were landing at the honeymoon destination - more beautiful scenery. By now there'd been a few flashbacks to childhood friendship, and while I could guess where the story was going, I was intrigued enough to look it up here on IMDB and at least find out where the gorgeous beaches were located.

Now I'm hoping to find a subtitled version and see if I like it as much when I know what they're saying - especially at the end. No spoilers here as again, I can only guess!

Vir Altyd is a very complete and subtle film: a story with dramatic moments and also happy moments.A film about love,marriage, understanding and confidence between men and women and about the influence of the parents on their children. The photography is really excellent.And the actors and actresses are also excellent.

'Vir Altyd' is as funny as it is dramatic, and the genres blend together perfectly. There's a wonderful chemistry between the two leads (Ivan Botha & DonnaLee Roberts). I knew from the start it was a romance waiting to happen, but the journey getting there was exciting, interesting and heartfelt. I expected cliched schmultz, but this was refreshingly different.

A film of this genre can so easily be predictable, but the film follows a unique path of discovery that make it stand out from the crowd. It takes us on a beautiful journey of love between young AND old couples, excellently portrayed by a stellar cast. Elize Cawood is fabulous as always. I just love her in a film. Thanks to a great choice of music, the film had a very non-South African feel to it. And it was also wonderful to see a South African film untouched by politics.

The cinematography and photography are awesome. The subtle back flashes add significantly to the mood and feel of the film, and of reminisce. There's so much to learn from the film with its deeper underlying theme. It tells a much greater story than meets the eye, and teaches us to enjoy the trivial things in life, too, and appreciate and value every moment.

'Vir Altyd' is fantastic in every sense of the word, and on every level. This was a special treat. It is easy to see why this is the most successful Afrikaans film ever made.