Rent a Friend

RENT-A-FRIEND; the title is english, but it's a (typical) Dutch film, by Eddy Terstall. Well, as most of his selfwritten films also this one deals with young adults, esp. assertive women, relationships (where love isn't really jumping off the screen, it is more defined by sex) and the same cast. This film was slighlty different as he had a big budget, yes he had a whole million dollars (rumours go that actors were fully paid !). This is the main difference to his other films. The money was clearly invested in locations, this time not the recognisable 'backyard' of the director, the Amsterdammish neighbourhood 'the Jordan', but the very modern buildings and flats in Rotterdam. This decor suited perfectly the plot, which is a parody on modern society; A writer (Rifka Lodeizen) of a famous soapopera, in which she puts her own life experiences, breaks up with her boyfriend (Marc van Uchelen), because besides painting mexicans from above (a big circle with a small one in it), he doesn't make money. Through the soap opera, boyfriend sees she's sleeping with her boss. He sets up a company, where you can rend friends (no sex) and is very successful. The film is entertaining, more structured, but still lacks sometimes in its actorsachievements and dialogues, but certainly deserves a larger (Dutch) audience than it's getting now. *** out of five

Am I really the first, and so far only person to comment on this film? This only goes to show how unjustly ignored (by the public, not the press) this film is/was.

The idea on which Rent-a-friend is based is brilliant. Haven't we all at one time or another longed for a friend to suit our every (non-sexual) need?

Yes, the acting is at times somewhat wooden, but that only adds to the whole comedic situation in my opinion. Yes, the dialogues are cheesy, sometimes verging on the ridiculous, but I would only describe that as being 'camp' rather than bad writing.

The situations in which friend Alfred finds himself are often hilarious. (Or is it that only a Dutch person can laugh about a man seeking a friend to watch German soccer with?). The whole development of Alfred's ploy to make money to impress Moniek into a multi national operation is still believable, and like I said before, funny.

And funny is what a comedy should be.

Rent a friend is lighthearted, a bit over the top, but certainly not worse than a lot of so called comedies we get to see most of the time. I recommend it. Even if it is on video, because the film has long left the theatres.

Rent a Friend is a satirical accusation on modern day "consumentism". But that criticism is never annoying, the movie never wants to give a new morale. After all, it is a comedy. And a funny one. Arthur offers people in Holland's 2000 to hire him as a True Friend. He starts his own company and it becomes a huge success. At first it all looks a bit unbelievable, but along the film you realize today's society could be that crazy and you would sure believe it all would became true, some day. Some people rated this film with a 1. They are probably the people this movie is all about: people with a lot of luck, who made big money and can only talk about money since that day. And have lost their sense of humor somewhere along that way. Because this movie is one of the funniest movies from Holland in the last five years.

I haven't seen that many good Dutch movies. And after seeing the dreadful COSTA! which has the same producers as this one, I really did not think it would be okay. But IT IS! It took me a few minutes to get into the story, but once the guy starts his own company the story gets really funny. I ended up really liking the movie, especially the scenario, which is truly brilliant! Humour comes in different forms (from Nutty Professor to Clerks), but this was truly unique. It wasn't haha funny, nor was it woeha! funny. It was more like 'mmm, wow'-funny. You'll only understand when you see the movie....

After having seen Rent-a-Friend for the first time (at the Rotterdam Film Festival), the smile at my face didn't disappear for hours. THIS MOVIE IS REALLY FUNNY!!! And there aren't lots of FUNNY Dutch films (except 'Flodder' and 'Abel' (both 1986) or perhaps Terstall's previous movie, 'Based on a Novel'). And wasn't a comedy -first of all- supposed to be funny?

Of course, Terstalls films all have certain things in common. For example, they are -like a cabaret show- more based on fragements and funny scenes than at a great story. The same in Rent-a-Friend. BUT in this film it doesn't matter, because the basic idea (friendship for sale) is simply brilliant.