When it comes to home-grown romcoms and romantic dramas, the writers scripting these offerings have raised the bar over the years.
They are no longer seeking inspiration from Hollywood, which used to be the benchmark for scripted TV and film content.
This is evident in popular movies like “Smart Casuals”, “Happiness Is”, “Yoh Christmas”, “Lobola Man”, “Soweto Love Story”, “Seriously Single” and “Home Wrecker”.
Set against the South African cultural backdrop, the stories reflect the upheavals of modern dating. While it is hard-hitting, uncomfortable and unpredictable, it is also empowering, heartfelt and inspiring.
“Umjolo: The Gone Girl” exemplifies these aforementioned traits.
Executive produced by Gugu Zuma-Ncube, Pepsi Pokane and Thuli Zuma from Stained Glass Productions, the film, which is the first in Netflix’s inaugural film collection series, is directed by Fikile Mogodi.
Adding some comic levity throughout the film is the narrator Mam Sbosh (Sipho Alphi Mkhwanazi).
This film follows Lethu (Sibongiseni Shezi), who is giddy with excitement over her recent engagement with Lucky (Tyson Mathonsi).
An event planner, she has bagged an influential client in Mr and Mrs Jama (played by Baby Cele and Meshack Mavuso, respectively). Handling their daughter Buhle’s (Tina Redman) wedding could put her company on the map.
However, her BFF Amanda (Thobeka Shangase), who is also her employee, isn’t the most dependable person. She drops the ball on things and Lethu ends up having to pick up the slack.
Everything is going swimmingly in Lethu’s life until she gets a rude awakening when she visits her gynaecologist for treatment for a suspected urinary tract infection only to learn that she has a sexually transmitted disease.
That’s when the penny drops and she realises that her fiancé hasn’t been faithful.
After a heated confrontation, she learns the truth. Despite being devastated, she still clings to the hope that they can move past it.
However, she is dealt another blow when she goes through his phone and discovers he is a serial cheater.
Running parallel to Lethu and Lucky’s story is that of his philandering brother Themba (Ntando Menzi Ncube), who is married to Bridget (Gugu Gumede).
Similar to Lucky, Themba can’t control his libido.
Meanwhile, Lethu heads to the village to spend some time with her grandmother while wrapping her head around her dilemma.
Lucky is distraught by her departure. However, Amanda, who is one of his flings, attempts to get him to commit to something more serious between them.
The rest of the movie centres on the couple being honest with each other. Lucky admits that he’s unable to stop having sexual relations with other women and Lethu, heartbroken to hear that she isn’t enough, proposes that they have an open relationship.
She added one condition - they cannot be intimate with someone they know.
Of course, compromise comes at a cost, and Lethu eventually has to make a tough decision.
Shezi truly steals the spotlight in this film. She channels the emotional nuances of a woman conflicted between choosing love over her happiness with aplomb.
Mathonsi plays his role well, too. He walks a fine line between being a jealous partner and an incorrigible player.
Writer Thuli Zama did well in balancing the drama with light-hearted moments. The characters are well-etched, and Mogodi’s adroit direction heightens the film’s appeal.
There are few steamy scenes in the film, too, but they are not gratuitous.
“Umjolo: The Gone Girl” delves into many aspects of relationships, from unfulfilled to unrequited love and the generational acceptance of staying with a man who cheats to a woman being okay with self-love and waiting for the right person.