Based on the novel The Melting by Lize Spit, When It Melts (OV: Het Smelt) is the directorial debut of Belgian filmmaker Veerle Baetens. Starring Charlotte de Bruyne and Rosa Marchant, the film follows Eva (de Bruyne) as she decides to return her hometown after a life-altering summer break became out of control.
Blending the past and present, the film revolves around Eva, a young woman living alone in Brussels after her younger sister Tess chooses to move out. She has a quiet yet standoffish nature that causes her to be brusque with everyone, closing herself from those around her. When she discovers an invite to a party hosted by an old friend in her hometown, her demeanour shifts and her dormant demons take over as the audience sees, through the eyes of her younger self (played by Marchant), the events that changed her life forever.
With a runtime of around 100 mins, When It Melts slowly becomes increasingly uncomfortable viewing. Teenager Eva experiences a troubled home life with a neglectful dad, an alcoholic mum, and an immature younger sister who dominates their parents’ attention. Despite her best attempts to connect with her family, their coldness causes Eva to seek affection and attention elsewhere, whether it is kind-hearted shopkeeper (and Laurens’ mum) Marie, new neighbour Elisa (Charlotte Van Der Eecken) or Elisa’s beloved horse Twinkle. She also seeks solace with her best friends, the overweight Laurens and the brooding Tim, affectionately known as ‘the Three Musketeers’.
But this discomfort is necessary as it reinforces the severity of the narrative and, similar to Emerald Fennell’s debut Promising Young Woman, it deals with a relevant social issue (in Baetens’ debut, pre-adolescent respect and consent) that needs to be addressed – especially when the characters involved are young. During the sun-kissed flashbacks, Eva is at an age where emotions are running riot, with her unrequited feelings for Tim in the driving seat. She tries to connect him on both a platonic and romantic level, albeit clumsily, but her need for love and acceptance pays on her own personal morals – to the point that she goes along with the boys’ increasingly twisted, puberty-driven ‘game’ that sees them abuse other girls for their own pleasure, despite her evident discomfort. What makes it worse is that both Laurens and Tim do not see Eva as a ‘girl’, ranking her a ‘zero out of ten’ and quickly shut her out because she was not ‘one of them’. However, they are quick to use her for their own benefit – in fact, Eva isn’t considered a girl to them until their actions open her eyes to their real feelings, when an intense turn of events shatters what is left of her already fraught childhood.
To this effect, Baetens doesn’t dilute the discomfort and toxic confusion among teens – instead, her screenplay highlights issues that may have not been openly addressed in the past but are now essential elements for discussion. A dominant part of this stems from Laurens and Tim’s growing need to indulge in their own sexual interests, which subsequently exacerbates Eva’s loneliness and subsequent detachment from those who are supposed to love and care about her. The tense dialogue accompanies Baeten’s moody direction that raises the protagonist’s desperate need for connection and her later isolation, with the timeframes adopting a similar colour pallet to Greta Gerwig’s Little Women to reflect the carefree times of summer and the grim reality of adulthood.
While de Bruyne is quietly compelling as the haunted Eva, Marchant is equally great as the younger troubled protagonist, especially as she goes through the trials and tribulations that would ultimately shape the character’s adult life. Naomi Velissariou also offers an emotive performance as Eva and Tess’ mum, as do Anthony Vyt and Matthijs Meertens who play the younger Tim and Laurens respectively. The younger cast, in particular, show courage in raising awareness of a sensitive narrative and evoke enough conflict and delicacy through their performances to consistently engage the audiences through the tough moments.
When It Melts is a quietly disturbing yet hypnotic debut from Baetens. Offering bold performances from its cast and a slow-burning narrative, it ensnares audiences and tightens its grip throughout Eva’s difficult journey.
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Director: Veerle Baetens
Stars: Charlotte de Bruyne, Rosa Marchant, Naomi Velissariou, Charlotte Van Der Eecken, Matthijs Meertens, Anthony Vyt,
Runtime: 111 minutes
Country: Belgium
