Met grote blijdschap

This film has a crazy story; how believable is it that a Dutch couple can disappear to a remote area in Belgium in the late 1990s?

'Met grote blijdschap' is primarily an actor's film. The small cast performs a great miracle.

Jaap Spijkers (Luc) shoots back and forth between his fear of hurting and his own interests.

Camilla Siegertsz, as his pregnant wife, is sweet and grim at the same time Renée Soutendijk glories as Els. Els knows her life is over, even though she still has many years to go.

Ad (Jack Wouterse) is blended with his dreary surroundings. He is touching, even when he hits.

You get sucked into the bleak reality; the question 'what is really going on here' keeps the viewer going. 'Met grote blijdschap' is an understated production - a very bizarre one!

Met grote blijdschap is a story about real human drama performed by real characters. There's been no attempt to exaggerate or to use caricatures or freaks to build up to the dramatic events at the end of the movie.

It builds up nicely from a secure home situation, the disturbing message comes by phone. The anxious trip to Belgium is filmed excellent and does not distract too much from the rest of the story. Once they've found Ad, two plots tumble over each other. One plot unfolds quite easily only to reveal the second. Outstanding performances by the actors without forgetting Dutch humor

The story was written by Lodewijk Crijns and Kim van Kooten. It makes me regret that i didn't see his first movie, Jezus is een Palestijn. It seems that nowadays it is a recommendation to have the name kim van kooten on a production.

I guess we will hear more of these people, I certainly do hope so.

I give this film 1 star. The reason is that it is so depressing and grim. I don't understand how anyone could give this film a high mark unless it is for technical reasons, and that alone does not make a film worth watching.

Some films I would not recommend to anyone, but this film I actively recommend to be avoided.

What else can I say? I don't understand how it gets the good reviews here. I really think there should be some sort of warning for films like this.

"Likely to make you feel completely miserable."

So be warned. If you ignore this warning and do watch it, please leave an honest review to back me up.