A Kind of Madness – A Beautiful Glimpse into Memories of Days Gone By

Because the older Elna frequently embodies her younger self due to her dementia, scenes between the older Elna (Prinsloo) and the younger Ellie (played by Ashley de Lange) merge seamlessly. According to Prinsloo, she and De Lange had previously worked together on stage, which made it easier to “blend” and become one character. The two also acted opposite each other in the eTV soap Kelders van Geheime and the Showmax series Koek. Ian Roberts and his younger version, portrayed by Luke Volker, also managed multiple times to convincingly “merge” into one character in Elna’s mind’s eye.

As a viewer, this masterful technique gave me insight into how someone with dementia might see and experience life. At the same time, I was able to delight in the incredible, untouched beauty of the Western Cape – a place I’ve never personally visited. It’s no wonder that Elna, as a young Ellie, relives her memories on this very beach.

The performances of the main cast, along with the film’s cinematography, production design, sound design, editing, and other post-production elements, absolutely deserve top marks. The only reason I’m deducting half a point from the rating is because, at one point, the adult children got a little on my nerves.

Olwagen also wrote the screenplay, and the characters’ dialogue reflects his thoughtful exploration of the themes he wanted to convey. He succeeds in doing so through subtext, rather than hitting the viewer over the head. That said, he does strike a few emotional chords – and I couldn’t help shedding a tear.

Ultimately, this film is a celebration of love. Not the kind where the curtain falls after the fairy-tale wedding, but the kind that endures after decades together. If The Notebook (2004) moved you, A Kind of Madness is definitely for you.