An Exercise In Nonsense
I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.
View MoreAs somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.
View MoreWhile it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
View More!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!In terms of Dutch mainstream movie-making this is as good as it gets. Writer Kim van Kooten excels in writing scenes. They're witty, no longer than necessary and often ending with a punchline. Structure wise she's slightly less solid, but overall she's definitely one of the best in Holland. The line "To him, it's an escape from reality" caused a roar of laughter when I attended. And there where more. There are a few points though. -In the final scene, how does Jan know that Kees is on his way to meet him? He surely behaves as if he's expecting him. And how does Kees know where to find him? -From one scene to the next suddenly there's snow everywhere. That's fine, but it would've been better if there'd been one shot in which the snow started falling. Dramatically, that could've been useful too. -The film could have used a scene which shows Kiki realizing that Valentijn won't show up on their date. -The group of 50 children cycles in front of a police car, there's even a close of the police officer showing his surprise. Cut to a news reporter saying that the children are missing and the police doesn't have a clue where they are. From the point of visual storytelling, that's inconsistent. -During the emotional reunion of Klaasje and Dennis we don't know if Sarah has left the apartment yet. The tension of the question if she'll suddenly show up during Klaasje's and Dennis' embrace, gets in the way of a full emotional response from the audience. -The snow flakes around Valentijn on his horse are CGI. That's fine, I suppose originally they weren't gonna use show in that scene. But overall, highly enjoyable and well done.
View MoreWho wouldn't want to unwrap Carice van Houten from her gift costume? She deserves her prince on the white horse because she comes to realize that she should believe in love. I also liked Anneke Blok, who plays a type that is rarely portrayed in Dutch movies: the busy mother who arranges everything and is heading towards a nervous breakdown. The gay couple is portrayed so matter-of-factly - not as some statement - that you are hardly aware that you are watching two men kiss each other on the lips.The first half hour of the movie is especially funny. The movie then loses some of its momentum, despite the rapid cuts between the story lines. Some of the jokes fall flat and one extra character is hastily introduced. The finale on snowy Santa Claus's birthday makes up for a lot, although I found it a bit too understated to serve as the climax and bold moral statement that this movie deserves.The multiple-story-line approach is a real balancing act and I applaud the filmmakers for their guts to set the bar so high. Also, I think to make a positive movie about love is in a way more daring than the cynical approach with a lot of cheap nudity, which since long has been the standard in Dutch movie-making. Judging by the numbers of visitors, the filmmakers have succeeded in making the audience believe in love, at least for a short while..
View MoreOne of the best dutch movies i've seen so far. The acting is good, sometimes even excellent. Great work by some unknown actors and actresses. A lot of funny characters played by famous dutch people. The script is uplifting and smart, with some nice twists. Sometimes some obvious connections between the different story lines that are pointed out during the film, but still not overrated or overdone. A lot of humor with a nice combination of love, drama and twisted humor and awareness. A film you must see if you like dutch movies. Good girlfriend-boyfriend material for a night at the cinema, or even to watch with good friends before a night in the town!
View MoreColorful, touching, and very funny! This can be considered as a Dutch version of Love Actually (even the fonts of the credit titles are similar), which is a big compliment to Love Actually. As the stories and situations here are very Dutch (including gay marriage and a vehicle carefully locked to a bridge), I think this film will move Dutch viewers more than the British version did. I know I wanted to cry at the end, but I was there with my girlfriend. Super performances of the all-star cast, all playing the roles they do best. And the movie shows Amsterdam from its most wonderful side as well! The movie does raise a worrying question though: what will we do when He really dies? My suggestion: we ask Gijs Scholten van Aschat. Any other candidates?Try to avoid the trailer, which spoils some surprises.
View More