Starring: Diaan Lawrenson, Renate Stuurman, Neels van Jaarsveld
Year: 2018
Running Times: 104 minutes
A South African comedy drama starring Diaan Lawrenson as Megan who ignores her mother's misgivings about her choice of husband, Lloyd (played by the incredibly talented Neels van Jaarsveld), and goes ahead with their wedding. This choice leads to much heartache as Lloyd is arrested for tax fraud a decade later. Lloyd tries to escape arrest but Megan calls the police, resulting in him being taken into custody in front of their son, Devan. Megan is understandably upset and throws a bunch of food around the kitchen in anguish.
Things get worse for her as the prosecutor on the case informs her that all of their possessions are to be seized to offset Lloyd's tax debt. As a result, Megan and Devan move in with her best friend, Lindiwe (played by the lovely Renate Stuurman). The prosecutor calls with more bad news: since the assets did not cover the debt and because they are married in COP, Megan could face jail time unless she's no longer legally attached to Lloyd. Devan offers to get a job to support his wreck of a mother - travelling with a circus as a magician. Megan then realises she needs to get her shit together so she gets off the couch and takes yet another shower, fully-clothed.
However, her attempts to find a stable job are unsuccessful and she feels as though she has no purpose in life: "I'm drifting through life, allowing other people to choose my course." Devan, ever the problem-solver, suggests that she teaches other moms to cook since she is such a great cook. Lindiwe then asks her to write a food blog for her magazine but Megan's inspirational block leads to more food throwing. However, she realises that she can channel her emotions, both happy and negative, into her cooking, creating a way for her to reinvent herself and move beyond her husband's betrayal.
The film is filled with cliches ("just cook with your heart", "you can have your cake and eat it too") and unrealistic parts (like her visits to the prison where apparently visitors, including children, can interact freely with prisoners in their recreational area and the fact that she wanders around the city in her pajamas and robe after Lindiwe, gatvol of her victim mentality, tells her to move out - why doesn't she go straight to her parents?). Megan's pity party borders on annoying at times but she pulls it together before you want to throw food at her.
The film is beautifully shot with some interesting surreal sequences and includes a great soundtrack by The Plastics, a South African indie rock band, that complements the film's plot and overarching message. The film also features a wealth of vibrant colours, from the wardrobe (the ladies' uber stylish outfits to the bright orange prison uniforms), to the sets (the teal and turquoise palette of Lindiwe's fabulous home) to the food items that punctuate the film and reflect Megan's emotional journey.
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