'Yoh! Bestie' Netflix Review: South African Rom-Com Is Better Than Any Hollywood Romance I’ve Seen This Year 

Okay, let me be honest, I haven’t really seen that many romantic movies this year, but I’ve got to admit that Yoh! Bestie was one of the most refreshing films I’ve seen this week. We’ve seen friends to lovers a dozen times, and we already know that at the end of a movie like this one, the two leads will inevitably get together. But it’s the how that really matters to us. Yoh! Bestie tells the story of Thando, a 30-something-year-old single woman whose best friend, Charles, has decided to uproot himself from Joburg and move all the way to New York, leaving her all alone in every way possible. Suddenly, Thando has to move her life around because she truly feels lonely, and this guy was her comfort person. Will they ever get together? How will they reunite, and does Charles return? You’ll be dealing with all these questions and more after reading the basic premise of this film, no? Well, let me tell you, it’s totally worth watching it to get your questions answered. 

In Yoh! Bestie, Thando is an independent woman who has her life together, but she’s not rich, and she’s certainly not rich in love (romantic, that is). On the other hand, Charles spends two years dating around in New York, while she attends wedding after wedding all by herself. The film really begins when Charles returns with a surprise for our Thando. He’s engaged to a new woman she’s never heard of, and she’s literally picture perfect, except for the fact that she’s over 40 and divorced. There’s a lot to like about this movie. For one, the pacing is great, and you really feel eager to learn more about Thando as a person. Katlego Lebogang is truly attractive in every way, because not only does she look great, but she also keeps you engaged from start to finish. To be honest, I wasn’t paying much attention to Charles at all, because really, it felt like an almost late-coming-of-age for Thando. 

Rom-coms often treat their leading women as stupid, or like they’re blind, but in this case, Thando is well aware of what’s going on, and she’s not desperate to ruin her bestie’s life just because she’s in love with him. On the other hand, Rea, played by Fikile Mthwalo, is not the villainess she’s expected to be. She’s a legend and an icon who happens to be in love with Thando’s best friend. I love the friendship between Thando and Riri, as well as her friendship with Charles, though this is one of those movies that’s saying men and women can’t just be friends, which is quite the shame. 

This film looks very high budget, featuring some great scenic views and lovely beaches of South Africa. The one scene on the flight was quite funny and typically rom-comy. The film is tropey, but it also subverts said tropes in a nice way, making it more interesting than your average “let’s jump each other and then decide we hate each other to end up loving each other” situations. You know what I mean. Zulu is a beautiful language to listen to, and it adds a lovely rhythm to the dialogue. Ironically, you might feel like you understand them while you read the subs, but if you just hear them talk, you don’t know when it’s Zulu and when it’s English. So I guess pay attention, or watch it dubbed. 

Given this is a rom-com, you’ll be wondering if the com bits are any good. To be honest, the film isn’t necessarily funny, but there is an annoying character in the form of Nas (no, not Lil), and then Riri and Bheki are meant to be the comic relief couple, but their story is also quite endearing. But having said that, there’s nothing that’ll make you feel like this is a serious film either. You can happily watch it in the chillest mood in your pjs, with your pizza and wine. I know that’s how you plan on spending Valentine’s, and this is perfect company. Just don’t go calling your bestie by accident, I guess. 

The music is also really fun, and a lot of it is traditional; there’s some dancing involved, which is also great to watch. The beginning of the film does feel like it’s an ode to old rom-coms such as 27 Dresses, just because there are a bunch of weddings and outfit changes for Thando (including an Indian one, which really cemented the connection for me). I think the female friendships in the film are pretty solid, and I really like the direction in which it goes when it comes to the friend vs. fiancee situation. These things can get real messy, and at the risk of giving out a spoiler, I must add that there are no cat fights in Yoh! Bestie, which I absolutely love. 

I do feel like this film is written by a woman pretty clearly, because it doesn’t make Thando chase, nor does it make Rea possessive; they’re simply different kinds of women, both of whom make full sense. Really, it’s difficult to take sides, except for in some bits. That’s why I said the film feels fresh, apart from the fact that I have barely watched any South African films. Though having seen this one makes me want to see more. 

Ultimately, I’d highly recommend watching this film if you’re bored of the usual Hollywood-style rom-coms that we’ve been getting in the past few years. Sure, we literally just got People We Meet On Vacation, but Yoh! Bestie might’ve done the trope slightly better, all things considered. You can watch the film and let me know. But, with that said, I’d give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. I quite enjoyed it, and I hope you do too. Happy Valentine’s Day, I guess.