Caminhos do Coração

This South African movie is spoken in 99% Afrikaans (derived from Dutch) with the oddly surprising English phrase bleeding through at times. I guess that's what the spoken language sounds like in 21st century South Africa. The lead actors have fashion-model looks, which makes it easy to root for them in this road-trip movie that reminds me at times of "Rain Man," at times of the "Blues Brothers," and at times of "Cherry 2000." Yet this is not really a derivative movie, it has a heart and a rhythm of its own.

Can this really be South Africa? Part of it looks like Australia. Part looks like New York City. Part looks like San Francisco during the Summer of Love in the late 1960s. Most of the road trip takes place in a car even older than the Summer of Love.

Yes, the plot contains "twists" you can see coming from miles away. Yes, the outcomes are rarely in doubt. This is a sweet movie. It won't tax your brain. It's like eating dessert without eating a meal first. So what? The world needs more movies like this.

Bravo.