Love and Wine Review: Love and Wine is a warm, feel-good romance that leans into classic rom-com setups, yet still manages to infuse them with South African flavor.
The story follows Amahle, a hardworking medical student, and Ovee, a wealthy heir reluctantly grinding away at his father’s company. Their meet-cute feels fated, but Ovee’s insecurity pushes him into a reckless bet with his best friend.
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Love and Wine Netflix Cast
Ntobeko Sishi, Masali Baduza, Thandolwethu Zondi, Thando Thabethe, Bongile Mantsai
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Love and Wine Movie Director
Amanda Lane
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Another Title
Love + Wine
The runtime of Love and Wine is 1h 49m approx.
Love and Wine Review
Love and wine follow a rich, spoiled young man’s journey to understanding his own true self and finding the love of his life. Ovee is the classic guy with a lot of privilege, born with a golden spoon, who gets everything he wants in life. He is the son of a billionaire, and girls flock towards him thanks to his prestigious background and charming personality.
However, a refreshing trait of Ovee is that even though he has endless money, he is not arrogant, nor does he use his standing to look down on others. On the contrary, he is quite helpful to those who need it, and that shows through his playful banters with his childhood friend, Nathi, who is his driver and the son of his caretaker.
To prove Nathi wrong about the fact that girls like only him for his money and not for his true self, Ovee starts a bit of a challenge. They plan to swap identities, where Ovee will live like a normal guy, while trying to impress Amahle, a beautiful woman with tremendous pride in becoming successful without needing anyone’s help. The movie plays with very well-known tropes in the romcom genre, and it does not stray away from its predetermined rules and regulations.
Ovee may come from money, but he’s far from the shallow rich-boy stereotype, as he’s warm, charismatic, and genuinely thoughtful. He also looks out for older people, showcasing his charity. Amahle, on the other hand, has every reason to distrust wealth thanks to her own painful past. She does not know Ovee’s background and falls for him because of his faithful heart. Ovee carries his own grief, having lost his mother when he was young. Thus, their shared wounds slowly become common ground, drawing them closer and allowing a sincere romance to grow.
However, Ovee is not the only one. Alongside Ovee’s love life, the subplot of Nathi’s love story also takes place. He, too, was someone who became the victim of his lower-class status and thought no one would care for him if he did not come from a better background. Thankfully, he also gets proven wrong in the end. I really like this segment as it gave the story more depth and a refreshing side.
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Verdict
The movie is undeniably generic and highly predictable, yet it still manages to make familiar tropes feel enjoyable. Even when you can see the ending from a mile away, the journey remains captivating enough that you find yourself rooting for this love story anyway. I also loved the cinematography as it is colourful and depicts the landscapes of South Africa in a very beautiful way.
The cast does an impressive job of representing their characters, making the interactions feel believable. And while the movie doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking, it still delivers a fun experience that leaves you with a warm, happy-go-lucky feeling by the end.
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