Although set in Ghent, Christophe Van Rompaey’s debut owes
more to Mike Leigh than the Dardennes. Life is hard for fortysomething post office clerk Barbara Sarafian, but even though art teacher husband Johan Hildenbergh deserts her for a student, she maintains a sense of pragmatism that enables her to cope. Nevertheless, she still falls for ex-alcoholic trucker Jurgen Delnaet and is soon placing inordinate faith in their relationship. Van Rompaey captures the spirit of the high-rise neighbourhood and Sarafian is blowsily resilient. But the rom-comic idiosyncracy is too easily expunged by kitchen-sink melodrama.