I'm surprised I had never heard of this one before, especially since it won best foreign film in 1998. This is also the first film from The Netherlands that I had ever seen, as well as one of the best films I've seen in a long while. It's some parts character study, other parts hard drama and still others thriller.
The performances are great, especially Jan Decleir, who some might know from another great film, the Belgian thriller De Zaak Alzheimer, which is actually in mostly Dutch, though not considered a purely Dutch film. Also good is the main protagonist, Fedja van Huêt, who I'm sure like everyone else here I had never heard of, but apparently he's been on a few European shooting stars listed, and is a pretty big deal in Holland. The photography is perfect in capturing 1920s (what was supposed to be) Rotterdam, though it was actually filmed mostly in Belgium. Paleis van Boem's score is also very haunting and appropriate for the style in which the film is shot.
I know I probably won't get a lot of replies, but try and get a hold of this movie if you can. You won't regret it.
The performances are great, especially Jan Decleir, who some might know from another great film, the Belgian thriller De Zaak Alzheimer, which is actually in mostly Dutch, though not considered a purely Dutch film. Also good is the main protagonist, Fedja van Huêt, who I'm sure like everyone else here I had never heard of, but apparently he's been on a few European shooting stars listed, and is a pretty big deal in Holland. The photography is perfect in capturing 1920s (what was supposed to be) Rotterdam, though it was actually filmed mostly in Belgium. Paleis van Boem's score is also very haunting and appropriate for the style in which the film is shot.
I know I probably won't get a lot of replies, but try and get a hold of this movie if you can. You won't regret it.
