But it isn't.
More on the story: Claire (Marilou Mermans) has two sons. The other - the caring and fussing Michel (Lucas Van Den Eynde, the title character in the recent musical Daens) - doesn't approve of his mother's plans, and certainly not when the escapade leads to an amorous adventure (she's only just widowed). Furthermore, her health deteriorates.
Lutgard is a stiff upper lip who's only interest in music is leading a children's choir, while for Magda the project is a chance to inject some excitement into her somewhat boring life. But it isn't that simple, in the end, to pick up the thread where they left it decades before.
Meisjes is the fourth feature by Geoffrey Enthoven, one of Flanders' most promising directors who three years ago was awarded the Cavens Prize for Best Belgian Film for his second feature Vidange perdue. And rightfully so. Co-scripter Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem, meanwhile, was a driving force behind Aanrijding in Moscou, a remarkably convincing comedy with a melancholic twist that just pulled down its 15th international prize. Meisjes tries to be the same, but fails.
The screenwriters have given Meisjes the structure of a melodrama, a genre that blends easily with other genres (horror, western, sci-fi), but merging it with comedy is very difficult. But the lack of power and imagination is not all to blame on the screenwriters. Enthoven has difficulty with the timing, and the characters are more "types" than fleshed-out human beings, with the result that almost all the actors have been much better in other films.
The above might sound harsh for a film that I can easily say isn't really bad. But considering the people collaborating on it, it should have been a lot better.
Flanders Today is a 
12°C / 25°C
