El secreto de Iris

Screenwriters in all countries can learn a lesson from this remarkable thriller. Plot, characters, suspense and an indefinable quality, humanity.

Watching this film not only kept me guessing, even though you have a vague idea of where it is going, in a way that keeps you on edge until the very end. Sure, some of the "thriller" aspects are not up to the budgets of the best of Hollywood, but they work to the extent needed here.

The actors are top notch (though I doubt there are may hunks like Bo as hospital orderlies) and Fedja van Huêt, as Ray, in particular, does an excellent turn in his role.

If you want a thriller with something more, see this movie.

A novel based Dutch movie about a single mother, Iris, a lawyer whose son 8- years-old Aron is a partially autistic. A very good Dutch thriller with decently maintained suspense till the end. I can say a movie very similar mode of concept to 'What Lies Beneath', but not a horror. About the family secret that was kept hidden for years is about to come into the lights after Iris fights for it. And reforms the role of the movie characters alongside racy pace marches towards the twist in a tale.

It all begins when Iris and Aron decides to go and spend the weekend in her mother's house. Accidentally she finds out the existing of something that is close to her. She decides to follow all the clues, but what she gets is unbelievable truth. That's not the end, but seeks the accurate explanation for that which drags her into the series of life-threatening scenarios. Can it be exposed and who are all going to affect by this is told in an exhilarating manner.

''King Kong, Hannibal, Maria, Peanut, Frangois, Chili, Saturn, Raisin, Margie''

What may go to happen is what everyone thinks about once the story of puzzle takes its part. As a mystery theme it kept those elements subsequently introducing limited characters that come in now and then to warn the main character as well to enthrall the viewers. I figured it out so early one of the two twists and expect most of people with experience in watching mystery movies will do the same. That is not a let down because the rest of the story creates enough grip to hold firmly on the audience interest.

I usually see plenty of movies about autistic father and a 8 year old daughter or son in Korean movies. That is so frequent if you are familiar with them movies. In fact, I expected similar style of storytelling from this, but what I got was so much fresh and fascinating narration with cool screenplay. Feels like reading a novel except it comes with motion pictures. I have not seen tons of Dutch movie in my life, but a few in that it is one of the best for sure. I believe you should try this before in case Hollywood grab for a remake rights.

This is a very good thriller: good, intricate plot, very well directed with a pace that maintains a certain level of suspense from beginning to end, reminding me a bit of Roman Polanski's style in "Ghost Writer".

The acting is quite good and I disagree with another user review who felt the characters look unconvincing when they are shown in flashbacks as younger versions of themselves; I found that they looked the part and it was not at all distracting me from the very interesting story.

I also enjoyed seeing a psychologist character who is not portrayed as an idiot... In many films psychiatrists and psychologists are either clueless or very annoying; it was nice to see one who does not conform to that movie stereotype, for a change.

I would bet that we will soon see an American remake of this, with some big name Hollywood actors... The psychologist character could easily be played by Ryan Gosling or Colin Farrell. The film would lend itself well to that kind of thing, as there is nothing uniquely "Dutch" about the story in itself. The good directing, however, will be difficult to match: Diederik van Rooijen did a great job.

This is a TV-level or TV-like "drama in family" movie about Iris Boelens, a young single mother and lawyer, contending with an autistic child and the discovery that she has a brother who is locked up for a double murder --and who has autism also. Not much action (violence) or action related suspense in this movie. It is mainly psychological drama and suspense (thriller, I guess) that originates from this lawyer's dogged search for the truth about her brother and family and the people who want to stop her when she decides to investigate his crime and get him new representation.

Whether or not you warm to this movie depends on whether or not you care about the central character in it and/or the subject matter. Therefore, whether or not you are sympathetic to Iris Boelens and the problems and mystery of her family. Iris is a busy woman, juggling a demanding job and problem child who has been suspended from school. Her mother has a cool, no-nonsense facade but one has a sense that deep down she perhaps cares. She is taciturn; doesn't want to give Iris any info about her newly discovered brother. This leaves Iris no choice but to turn to her trusty computer and perhaps the Dutch version of Google. The movie grows on you if you're patient and has an interesting ending that actually made me say "Sh!t, I didn't see that coming". Love, Boloxxxi.

When my brother suggested this movie to me, I actually didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I expected, since it was a movie my brother suggested and it was a Dutch movie. Those are two facts that cause me to doubt the quality of a film. But 'Daglicht' really amazed me.

From the beginning until the end of the movie I was completely sucked into it. The story was interesting at all times. Like every movie in this genre or every single episode of CSI, you think you have an idea what the clue will be. In this movie the direction is very clear, you know who was involved, but the finale was beyond my imagination and left me with my mouth wide open.

There were also some negative aspects of the movie, but I don't want to give any spoilers in this review because I want to give people the opportunity to judge the movie beforehand before they spend two hours of their lives watching it. For that reason, I will keep it vague by telling that there were some aspects and characters in the movie that really annoyed me and that there were still some questions unanswered at the end.

To close this review I want to mention the most positive thing of the movie; the cast. The children playing in the movie, the main character and (most of all) Ray were played magnificently. Usually I never judge the acting since it is always sufficient to me, but this is the first movie where I really noticed the difference between 'acting and acting'.

I give this movie an 8/10 because it is definitely better than the average Hollywood film I have seen in 2013!