Soof 3

Soof 3 is the third film in the Soof film series. This film is directed and partly written by Anne de Clercq, the director of Hallo Bungalow and she has also directed some episodes of the Soof TV series.

In the film, Soof (Lies Visschedijk) seems to have everything in order in her life. All is well with her work and children and despite being single she seems to be happy. This all changes when Soof receives bad news about her health.

Because her daughter has returned to the Netherlands with a new lover from India and her other children seem happy too, Soof decides to keep her bad new one to herself first. Soof tries to help her children with their positive plans for the future, in order to hide her own bad news below. Soof now has to see how long she can keep this hidden before others start to notice that her health is deteriorating.

For a change, director Anne de Clercq, together with the other writers of the film, tries to turn this third Soof film more into a drama. Unfortunately, they often seem to have trouble with this, because the comedy often manages to overshadow the drama in the film. So they end the film a bit like a standard romantic comedy with light drama moments. The comedy is also on the predictable or uncomfortable side, which often makes it hard to laugh.

Unfortunately, the story itself is also a bit on the predictable side. When you have seen the trailer of the film, or are familiar with your standard Dutch romantic comedies, you can predict what will happen in the film. They also made the story unnecessarily too big and filled it with too many different storylines, not all of which were really necessary in the beginning of the film. With a better story, the movie could have been clearer and shorter which could have made it more entertaining in the end.

Thanks to the standard script of the film, the cast members don't really get many opportunities to do something special with their acting. Lies Visschedijk tries to give her character a bit more drama, but these too are often overshadowed by comedy elements. This is a shame after three films and a TV series about the character Soof. The rest of the film cast doesn't really come across as special either. If they had chosen fewer characters in the front of the film, some would have had more of a chance to come forward with their characters in a more special way.

The ingredients were there, so to say, as the Soof franchise around the frantic cook and her entourage has been quite successful in the Dutch language area.

Again the production values are quite good, some of the country's better actors particpate and the direcion is by famed Eddy Terstall.

Butfor the script. Somewhere along the line a writer or producer probably thought it was a good idea to have Soof now tackle a more serious subject than love interests and family issues. But viewers expectations are not to be fooled around with. The actors look as bewildererd as the audience when events turn for the worst and a fatal disease threatens the restautant idyll and the film's ratings. Where in a comedy lack of character progression isn't much pf a prooblem, it is now.

The only moment of relief comes during a brief escapade in Paris with love interest Dan Karaty. Alas, soon the husband shows up. "You needed at the hospital for treatment" No escape for poor little Soof, it seems. A friend came out of the the cinema all depressed - and that ain't right.

And now for the what if. What if the darker subject would have been the Covid period? We are ready to laugh about the madness of lockdown parties an toiletpaper shortages. Now that would have been a breakthrough!

As a secret fan of the Soof movies, my disappointment is great. Do not expect a fun night out - prepare for an evening of sadness.

While such a movie is expected to have the up and downs of emotions, the down part is milked throughout the movie.

There are fun jokes, which are greatly appreciated. This is however quickly overshadowed by the thourough and long path of sickness.

Perhaps next time they can kill a few babies while they're at it - At this point it would be an improvement of the overall mood.

While it's respectful that sickness is a topic that should be spoken about more, this is not the way to do it.

Also, while only 5% of the population is gay, there is somehow a strong desire to include charactors like these is many new movies, Soof 3 included. It can feel forced.

In a movie where you expect it to be a comedy there is this sudden drama that even isn't played out very well. Because there are too many story lines and the mix of drama and comedy and therefor a cast too large nobody really gets a chance to act well. Very superficial at times and the drama too light hearted. No dept in the characters. Really a pity for it could have been much better. Too many domestic and social problems are played out.

Parents are divorced, coming out of one of the sons, and a few more but don't want to give away too much.

Unfortunately it is predictable as well and a bit over long.