Love Without Limits (2021)

Directed by: Appie Boudellah, Aram van de Rest | 95 minutes | comedy, romance | Actors: Yolanthe Cabau, Jim Bakkum, Abbey Hoes, Hajo Bruins, Edwin Jonker, Hassan Slaby, Freek Bartels, Soy Kroon, Melissa Drost, Rachida Ia Allaala, Semla Omari, Tina de Bruin, Peggy Vrijens, Elle van Rijn, Tanja Jess, Kim Pieters, Elise van der Horst, Ad Wijnschenk, Amber van Kooten, Lucinda Schildmeijer, Hassan El Rahaui, Hamza Rharib, Ayoub Louihrani, Yasmin Karssing, Bjorn Remmerswaal

Love without borders is a Dutch romantic comedy, with a slightly dramatic storyline. The film opens with a bad news conversation: one of the protagonists is informed that cancer has been diagnosed. This news of course hits like a bomb, but there is no question of sharing it with the family. “If I tell them, they immediately start planning the funeral,” is the verdict. And the family around which ‘Love Without Borders’ revolves is indeed one of extremes. Eva (Yolanthe Cabau) is the eldest of the bunch, followed by Maarten (Jim Bakkum) and Lieke (Abbey Hoes). Father Ferry (Hajo Bruins) is a widower, the mother passed away not so long ago. Ferry is a huge racist to say the least. He still cannot bear the fact that one of his daughters chose a Surinamese boy. His antipathy towards his son-in-law is so great that the snide remarks go back and forth over what should have been a cozy family dinner. When the other daughter wants to introduce her new boyfriend, Bram, Ajax fan, the rest of the family is already looking forward to Ferry’s reaction when he realizes that Bram (actually Brahim) is a Moroccan boy.

The themes dealt with in ‘Love without borders’ cannot be counted on one hand. In addition to a potentially fatal disease and racism, it also discusses the difficulties of dating in middle age, making the most of life, Moroccan customs, emigration, communication within marriage, career development, cheating, grieving and suppressing oneself. sexual orientation. Not nothing, but in the scenario of Appie and Mustapha Boudellah and Sergej Groenhart it is fairly ingeniously interwoven. Of course it’s a bit much to handle all of this as a family; but it is not so very extraordinary what they experience. Surely there are families facing the same problems.

The pace of the movie is fast. Almost every character – even the racist – has something likeable, which makes it easy to empathize. Sure, it’s predictable and cliché, but the film doesn’t pretend to be anything more than what it is. ‘Love Without Limits’ is well made and the actors give their best, with a special mention for Soy Kroon who goes through arguably the greatest development in this film. The actors, who are usually not taken so seriously, also hold their ground and get the most out of their roles. ‘Love without borders’ therefore looks nice away. Excellent entertainment for lovers of the Dutch romkom.