Guests at the premiere of the film were welcomed to a venue splashed in pink decor and dotted with crew members in matching pink safety vests. Their outfits were fitting, considering that Jonathan follows the antics of a character who becomes a car guard at a shopping centre.

This film’s protagonist, named Jonathan, is based on the fictional character and YouTube star of the same name. The man behind Jonathan, Rikus de Beer, has been showing up in YouTube videos as his colourful alter ego as far back as 2013.

The plot of the film kicks off with De Beer’s character failing miserably at an open mic stand-up comedy performance, getting drunk, and crashing his father’s car. This is the last straw for his parents, who kick him out of their house.

Jonathan becomes a car guard to make ends meet. He is mentored by another card guard, a character played by Paul Eilers. He falls in love with Sonja, played by Beáte Opperman. Things start looking up for Jonathan when he wins the lotto, allowing him to make things right with his parents.

It’s not smooth sailing for the main character yet, who loses bigtime when he defends the honour of the love of his life. Jonathan’s friends and family pull him through, with the film ending with a hint of the bright future that lies ahead for the comedian.

Combining a strong cast with authentic comedy

The film features well-known actors in the Afrikaans film industry, such as Brumilda van Rensburg, Anel Alexander, Jacques Bessenger, Eric Nobbs, Rika Sennett, Albert Pretorius, Frank Opperman, and Lizz Meiring.

Jonathan was directed by Sallas De Jager, a director, writer and producer known for his work on Verraaiers, Roepman, and Free State. With Jonathan, De Jager tells a story that is both flamboyant and honest.

Lead actor De Beer brings an authentic form of humour to the film, which is not forced but clearly comes naturally. Jonathan’s funny catch phrases and mannerisms delighted audiences at the premiere but his excessive use of profanity might be too much for some viewers.

Whether you like his colourful dialogue or not, there’s a good chance South Africa will be seeing more of this character as his adventures continue on and off the silver screen.

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