Carine Rous
Lienkie
Overview
When Lienkie's dream of budding a family of her own come crashing down, she hatches a devious plan to win "Bride of the Year" and get back at her ex.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Bride Who Baked Her Revenge
I’ve seen this movie before. Not Bride of the Year specifically—though I suspect I could’ve scripted its third act in my sleep—but the kind of film it represents: the rom-com as comfort food, warm and familiar, with just enough spice to make you think you’re tasting something new. What surprised me, then, wasn’t how predictable it was, but how much I still enjoyed it.
Maybe that’s the point. Maybe we don’t always watch these things to be surprised. Sometimes we watch them to be reminded—of the way a well-timed joke can feel like a hug, or how a story about revenge can, paradoxically, leave you feeling lighter.
Joshua Rous’s film (though calling him the sole author feels a little unfair—more on that later) follows Lienkie Koekemoer, a baker whose life implodes when she walks in on her fiancé mid-cheat. Her response? To enter the titular "Bride of the Year" competition, a gaudy, small-town spectacle where brides compete for the crown in a series of increasingly absurd challenges.
The twist? She’s not actually getting married. She’s just really, really good at faking it.
The premise is pure wish fulfillment, the kind of fantasy that thrives in the gap between what we’d like to do to our exes and what we’d actually have the energy for. (I, for one, have never had the follow-through to enter a bridal competition, but I have dramatically deleted someone’s number while eating ice cream straight from the tub. We all have our limits.) What makes Bride of the Year work, when so many revenge rom-coms don’t, is its lead.
Audience Opinions
Audience 5.3/10
"A culturally warm, feel-good Afrikaans romcom that leans on relatable leads and cozy charm while sticking closely to a clichéd, unevenly funny formula."
The appeal lies in its down-to-earth lead couple, gentle chemistry, and specific Afrikaans flavor, which together create an easy, comforting watch for those who click with the language and humor. latestnetflix.com's read is that at the same time, the story tracks a very familiar revenge-romance path, some jokes fall flat, certain plot turns feel implausible, and the competition payoff leaves a few viewers unsatisfied.
What viewers praise
- Relatable lead couple Carine Rous and Bouwer Bosch are praised as charming, believable, and refreshingly non-glamorous, making the central romance feel grounded.
- Cozy, heartwarming vibe The film delivers a light, comforting romcom experience that leaves several viewers describing it as sweet, cute, and emotionally warming.
- Afrikaans cultural flavor Language-specific jokes and cultural details add personality and pride for Afrikaans-speaking viewers and those interested in South African stories.
- Easy, low-effort watch The brisk runtime and straightforward plotting make it a simple choice to unwind with after a long day without demanding much attention.
Common complaints
- Very formulaic plotting The cheating setup, enemies-to-lovers arc, and competition framework follow standard romcom patterns with little sense of surprise.
- Hit-or-miss comedy Several viewers find the humor overcooked or simply not funny, with some gags and caricatured characters failing to land.
- Questionable story logic The revenge scheme, rapid romantic turnaround, and some character decisions feel contrived and difficult to buy into.
- Unsatisfying competition payoff The film does not clearly reveal the final outcome of the Bride of the Year contest, which leaves some viewers annoyed by the lack of closure.
Recommended for
Light romantic comedy watchers Afrikaans-language film fans South African romcom explorers Comfort-movie seekers Wedding-themed romance lovers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsShe has been playing this bride since college
Carine Rous has been living with Lienkie Koekemoer for 21 years. Northcliff Melville Times reported that the character started as her fourth-year cabaret at Pretoria Technikon. "I've walked a long road with her," she said. latestnetflix.com's read is that Netflix then put Bride of the Year, Afrikaans title Bruid van die Jaar, on the service on 15 May 2026, with Rous as the jilted woman who tries to snatch a bridal crown and punish an ex.
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Her husband directed it. Joshua Rous shares the story credit with Meren Reddy, Carine Rous, and Luke Rous. Gillian Breslin wrote the screenplay. Rous House Productions made it. Carine told the local paper he is "encouraging and my ultimate cheerleader" and that she is "proud of him for making this project happen." They shot in Linden, Johannesburg. That is not a secret Hollywood marriage. It is a family company putting a student cabaret onto a global app. ,
The contest already existed
Producer Luke Rous told EWN he grew up with the real Bride of the Year competitions in newspapers, malls, and holiday towns. "I remember growing up with it." The film pokes at Johannesburg sinkholes, overdone weddings, and the panic around a perfect family. Lienkie grew up in an orphanage watching church weddings from the playground, a beat Independent Online also logged. Carine told EWN the plot lets Lienkie "see the mistake that she makes and for her to apologise." Watch it in Afrikaans, the people who made it said. The English dub is there. The jokes sit in the original. ,
Bouwer Bosch plays Frank, the odd romantic option. Armand Aucamp is Zander, the glossy ex. Hanli Rolfes, Terence Bridgett, and Tobie Cronje fill the wedding circus. SPLING compared the coaching plot to The Proposal and Hitch and scored it 5/10. Independent Online called it polished, light, and forgettable. Afrocritik was warmer at 2.8 out of 5 and said the film understands the genre even when it does not rewrite it. , ,
Brazil ranked it anyway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dxm9zC_k_E
Northcliff Melville Times said the film reached the top three in Brazil after 15 May. EWN confirmed attention there. Netflix's Afrikaans push is the industry story. A student character, a husband-and-wife set, and a mall pageant joke somehow traveled. Rous House is still a Linden company after the Brazil spike. The official trailer went up in April on Africa On Netflix. , ,
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.