00s Movie Review - Terug Naar de Kust

Director: Will Koopman
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Linda de Mol, Huub Stapel, Pierre Bokma, Daan Schuurmans, Ariane Schluter, Jaap Spijkers, Stefan de Walle, Koen de Bouw

Description: Maria (Linda de Mol) tries to escape a stalker by moving with her children to her sister’s isolated beach house.

Review: “Terug Naar de Kust” is a movie based on the novel written by the Dutch bestselling author Saskia Noort. She decided director Will Koopman would be the best choice to adapt it to the big screen, together with her husband Lex Wertwijn, who is a screenwriter and cameraman. And where the book has a lot of tension, the movie lacks it and somehow the story lost its edge too.
Maria Vos is the mother of two and has a relationship with the impetuous Geert, with whom she plays in a band. However, the relationship between the two is very tense and she ends it. When Maria discovers she is pregnant, she decides to have an abortion. Shortly afterwards she receives a number of bizarre anonymous messages, in which she is called a murderer and gets death threats. The police advise her to ‘disappear’ for a while, when they investigate the case. Maria leaves to stay with her older sister Ans, who owns a villa by the sea. There too, however, she finds no rest; she is confronted with traumatic childhood memories, and her mental health seems to deteriorate further and further.
Director Koopman has been given a considerable cast for her feature debut. Of course there is Linda de Mol, very loved in The Netherlands and a gifted actress. In addition, she managed to stand tall against Huub Stapel (with a relatively small role) who is probably one of the best actors in The Netherlands. And there is also Ariane Schluter, Pierre Bokman and Daan Schuurmans to accompany them. With such a great star cast, little can go wrong when it comes to acting. You might say. Nevertheless, Koopman hardly manages to let any of them come to full bloom. De Mol for example, acts way below her level and Stapel has little to work with to make an impact. Schuurmans does his best and is good, the relationship between his character Geert and Maria comes off as forced and is unbelievable.
The plot lacks tension, there a too long uninteresting segments and a climax that you could see coming from a mile away. The entire film is just not captivating enough. With such source material, which did have tension and was interesting and surprising, it’s really a mystery why this movie didn’t work.

Rating: 2 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 103: De Reünie

Director: Menno Meyjes
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 98 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Thekla Reuten, Daan Schuurmans, Patrick Stoof, Marie-Mae van Zuilen, Daantje Idelenburg, Myron Wouts, Joep van der Geest, Tobias Kersloot, Eli Rietveld, Lara Leijs, Vivian Verkooy-Puppe, Dirk Marks, Jorik van der Veen

Description: Upon returning to work after an absence Sabine (Thekla Reuten) must deal with new emotional obstacles and matters from her past. Unlocking these doors exposes her to truths she may not be prepared for and the consequences of not letting the past go. Unanswered questions about her friend's disappearance, and a new romance leads Sabine to dark places.

Review: Simone van der Vlugt is one of Netherland’s most successful thriller authors. “De Reünie” was her thriller debut. And I was really excited to see it be turned into a movie, eleven years after its release.
There is a lot of shifting between now and then, in this story. In the present we see how the shy Sabine is coming back to work from a depression. And her boss and co-workers don’t exactly make it easier for her. But the handsome Olaf van Oirschot, one of brother’s high school friends, makes work more bearable. In the past we see young Sabine and her best friend Isabel. She went missing and the crime was never solved. With Olaf back in her life, Sabine keeps thinking about her high school years. And then there is that invitation for a high school reunion.
Nothing against Thekla Reuten and Daan Schuurmans, who portray Sabine and Olaf as adults. But it’s the scenes from the past that leave the biggest impression. Not only because it shows us that time period very well. But also the young actors performing well and how the characters get more depth.
“De Reünie” is in heart a murder mystery, but that elements is a bit lost in the film. That way the climax is a little bit predictable. But overall the adaptation is done very well.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 112: Mannenharten

Director: Mark de Cloe

Genre: Romance/ Comedy

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Daan Schuurmans, Barry Atsma, Jeroen Spitzenberger, Teun Kuilboer, Jon van Eerd, Georgina Verbaan, Fabian Jansen, Katja Herbers, Liliana de Vries, Hadewych Minis, Kim Feenstra, Ton Kas, Sanne Vogel, Thekla Reuten

Description: Following the love lives of different types of men in Amsterdam.

Review: In the Dutch romcom “Mannenharten” we don’t meet women who doubt their love life, but six men who struggle with themselves and problems with love.

With so many protagonist in one film, director Mark de Cloe got together some of the most well-known Dutch actors. But none of these actors get the chance to give their character a deeper personality, because we constantly switch from one storyline to another.

The chaotic Wouter never had a real goal in life. Now life is even more complicated when his girlfriend appears to be pregnant. Womanizer Daan can get all the women in the world, but was in love only once. Tim is about to marry his high school sweetheart, but starts doubting if this is it. Frank screwed up his relationship with Susanne and really wants her back. But she falls for the clumbsy Niels.

Although “Mannenharten” has so many storylines, it never gets complicated. It’s pleasant to watch, but it’s all a bit too simple. And predictable and cliché. I don’t mind cliché, if it’s done well, but that’s not the deal here.

“Mannenharten” is nothing unique, but it’s not dull either. It’s a fun watch, but never gets above average.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 104: Het Diner

Director: Menno Meyjes

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 87 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Jacob Derwig, Thekla Reuten, Daan Schuurmans, Kim van Kooten

Description: Paul and Claire (Jacob Derwig, Thekla Reuten) are a couple. Paul is a failed history teacher who has put his heart and soul into his family and is now confronted with the vulnerability of this happiness. His wife Claire constantly drags him away from the edge and stops at nothing to protect her family. His brother Serge (Daan Schuurmans) is married to Babette (Kim van Kooten). Serge is a politician in the running to become Prime Minister. Babette is the lioness, supposed to be sleeping by his side. At a family dinner the avoid everything they actually need to discuss: a huge family drama.

Review: “Het Diner” is the adaptation of the successful novel written by Herman Koch. The film is actually split in two storylines: the personality of lead character Paul and the crime. One a bit better than the other.

Paul is a failed history teacher and a house father with a special view on the world. In the opening dialogue he is trying to explain the dean of his sons school his visions. His bizarre, funny and provocative thoughts are very intelligent and a pleasure to listen too. And throughout the film you are treated by those theories of his.

Jacob Derwig, who plays Paul, shines and is the star of the film. His voice-over doesn’t bother you and is very powerful. He sometimes even breaks the fourth wall.

The other part of the film, which contains the other actors, is about Paul and his brother Serge who have dinner with their wives Claire and Babette. The reason they are there is to talk about the crime their sons have committed.

To make a story interesting, that is mostly set in one location, you will need a good director and great actors. All the actors succeed. Daan Schuurmans is perfect as the sleezy politician, Kim van Kooten is believable as ‘the wife of’ and Thekla Reuten is unpredictable as Claire. She even blows away her on screen husband Derwig at the end of the film.

The movie sometimes loses its power when the restaurant is traded for other locations, to show us the roles of the sons in the story. Sadly, that’s not a good choice, because the tension is with the parents in that restaurant, and not with the crime the sons have committed.

“Het Diner” is a solid thriller with some surprising twists and great performance by some of the best Dutch actors.

Rating: 4/ 5