Die Ballade van Robbie de Wee (2013)

Director: Darrell Roodt

Starring: Neil Sandilands, Marno van der Merwe, Anna-Mart van der Merwe

Music producer Len has it all, the perfect life. Until he’s caught embezzoling his music artists money. He get’s a second chance when young up and coming artist Robbie de Wee enters his life. But all is not as it seems.

I love Neil Sandilands. He has one of those faces you can’t help feel sorry for when things go wrong. And in ‘Die Ballade van Robbie de Wee’ (The Ballad of Robbie de Wee), things go very wrong for his character!

Neil Sandilands stars as music mogul Len van Jaarsveld. Len tells his story. He stole money from the record label he was working for and was able to buy everything his heart desired – and he was unfaithful to his wife. When everything came crashing down, he was left with nothing.

Now, he is trying to make an honest life for himself again. When he discovers 19-year old singer Robbie de Wee (Marno van der Merwe) he offers to represent him. Becoming very popular, Robbie proves to be a goldmine, and Len on on the path of recovery.

And just when you think the film is only about music and everything is going great for both Len and Robbie, BAM! the film shifts gear! ‘Die Ballade van Robbie de Wee’ goes from music drama to thriller in the blink of an eye. This turn of events comes totally unexpected.

Desperately trying to save everything they worked for, Len becomes much deeper involved than he ought to…and you can’t help but root for him every step of the way! With a good script and unlike anything I’ve seen before in Afrikaans, this is easily one of the most intriguing South African films. The editing and performances are also very good, and …wait for it… there’s a big twist in store…

In Afrikaans.

Would I watch it again? Yes.