Seriously Single seriously took me by surprise.
So many of the films that I expected to see this year have been delayed multiple times or postponed indefinitely. So it's no real shock that I've been reviewing films that I wouldn't even ordinarily watch. Seriously Single definitely falls into that category. I'm not huge on 'chick flicks' or romantic comedies, but I enjoyed this movie. I laughed at this movie. 2020 may have brought the world a lot of terrible, but I certainly appreciate the fact that without 2020, I would never have even considered watching Seriously Single. And I would have missed out.
This film follows Dineo (Fulu Mugovhani), a woman who is in love with the idea of love and commitment. She adores being in a relationship, unlike her seriously single best friend Noni (Tumi Morake). The film obviously starts with Dineo being dumped (and live-streaming it), by her latest boyfriend-of-two-months. Noni takes her out on the town to rebound and have fun, but of course, Dineo isn't 100 per cent into this idea. She ends up running into the very handsome Lunga in the carpark and both are keen to take it further...albeit in completely different ways. This is fifteen minutes in, and the film is called Seriously Single, so I'm sure you can predict how this relationship turns out. But Dineo can't, despite the fact that Lunga is spouting every cliche in the book within the first five minutes of them meeting. Lines like, "Sometimes relationships aren't meant to last, so we should enjoy them while we can". And, "Why hold onto the past when your future could be standing right in front of you?" And finally, "You say you want someone to come home to. I say it's better to have someone to go home with."
Is all of this terribly romantic or terribly sketchy? If you ask me, it's the latter. But yeah, Dineo is a believer, and she falls hook line and sinker.
This is a comedy and it's supposed to be funny. Mugovhani has her fair share of comedic moments, but Morake is the one who had me laughing out loud. The fantastic thing about this romantic comedy, is that the romance almost takes a backseat to the relationship between the two friends. I'm very glad for this, because the chemistry between the lead actresses is excellent and is what makes this film so very fun to watch.
Like a great number of 2020 Netflix releases, Seriously Single includes montages, graphics, hashtags and frames that are relevant to social media. While this can make films look flashy and colourful, I found it less important in this movie than I have in others. Although Dineo is a social media manager, and her social media is very important to her, thematically social media and/or phone addiction don't really come into play in this story. As already mentioned, montages are often framed within the context of social media uploads, but their inclusion is largely aesthetic. It does make for some colourful sequences, but is it necessary?
Social media gripes aside, I enjoyed this film. So much so, that I texted my best friend immediately after watching it, to demand that she do the same. This is a colourful movie, starring two women who have great chemistry and comedic timing, and is more about finding your own happiness and independence, than finding someone else to provide it for you. Not a bad watch at all, for a Sunday afternoon.
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