French Toast: romantic comedies are generally not known for their realistic premise, but there is quite a lot of Paul Krüger’s and Anél Stolp’s film that is almost too hard to buy. Still, it is charming and reasonably novel, and it has a set of lovely locations to boot (Paris is a common setting; South African wineries, not so much). Lika Berning is charming as the protagonist, a control-freak that is put outside of her comfort zone as she goes out to find a long-lost sibling; Thierry Ballarin is a bit broad, but serviceable as the man helping her clearly with further intent. Stolp’s editing is brisk and fast, making this an easy film to digest; director of photography Gustav Germishuizen’s work is fine but unmemorable. The use of music, both Machiel Roets’ original score and licensed songs, is too unsubtle, on-the-nose.
