‘Love, Sex and 30 Candles’ Netflix Movie Review - Burning Through The Tropes

Well, well, well, gather 'round folks, because we're about to take a stroll through the wild and wacky world of "Love, Sex and 30 Candles." Now, I must confess, I had the pleasure – or should I say, the misfortune – of diving headfirst into this South African Netflix concoction on a fine August 18th, 2023.

Let's start with the positives, shall we? Ah yes, the film – a romantic drama that promises to be a captivating cocktail of emotions. Dikeledi, Naledi, Kefilwe, and Tsholo, these four musketeers of modern womanhood, venture through the urban jungle of Johannesburg, each dealing with their own charmingly cliché struggles. Dikeledi's quest for love, Naledi's undying romance, Kefilwe's oh-so-shocking infidelity saga, and Tsholo's fear of commitment. It's like a symphony of stereotypes, masterfully conducted by the hands of predictability.

But lo and behold, as the plot unfolds, I couldn't help but admire the ingenious way they managed to lace every moment with a sense of déjà vu. Why, it's almost like I've seen these storylines before, perhaps in the forgotten depths of daytime soap operas or in the dusty annals of dime-store novels.

And let's not forget our delightful shock factor – a situation so jaw-dropping it could make your grandma drop her knitting needles. As the friendships teeter on the precipice of implosion, one can't help but marvel at the sheer audacity to venture into uncharted territories of... wait for it... drama! Oh, the genius, the audacity! Move over Shakespeare, we've got a new bard in town.

Now, dear readers, if you haven't yet detected the playful sarcasm, please adjust your antennas. Because, for all its grand aspirations to be a modern saga of sisterhood and self-discovery, the film, sadly, feels more like a well-worn map to every cliché in the book. "The 30th Candle" by Angela Makholwa, the source of this riveting narrative, apparently didn't leave a single cliché untouched.

You see, as I sat there watching these characters navigate their oh-so-unique problems, a lingering thought tiptoed into my mind – haven't I seen this somewhere before? Oh yes, in every rom-com from the past decade! It's like the filmmakers scoured the clearance rack of romantic tropes and just decided, "Why not have them all?"

And as the plot meandered through its familiar paces, I couldn't help but wonder – have we not evolved beyond these cookie-cutter portrayals of modern women? Have we not outgrown the need for women to be defined solely by their romantic escapades and their unyielding yearning for love? Apparently not, my friends. Apparently not.

But fret not, for amidst this sea of sameness, a glimmer of hope emerges. The performances, oh, the performances! Amogelang Chidi's portrayal of Dikeledi stands as a beacon of brilliance amidst the murky waters of predictability. She dances through the trite dialogues with an elegance that almost makes you forget you've heard those lines somewhere before – perhaps in every other romantic drama ever made.

So, there you have it, my fellow seekers of cinematic oddities – "Love, Sex and 30 Candles," a film that manages to cram every cliché into its glittering runtime like a champion Tetris player. A masterpiece of recycled tropes and well-worn narratives, lovingly presented to us on a silver platter of déjà vu.

Final Score- [3/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
Follow @AnjaliS54769166 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times