Tot altijd

I had very great expectations about this movie but boy was this film a big disappointment. Let me further explain what I dislike about this movie. The strong point of the movie is that it is based upon real events. The film itself however really lacks the building up of the drama. There were some rare good scenes particularly towards the end of the movie. A missed opportunity. It could have been far more exciting if we sometimes got a view of the world seen thru the eyes of the main character. The moment he says he only sees one half of what he sees then this fact is not very convincing to us as we do no see what he sees at that very instance.

Two close friends. Sharing everything, including girls. One of them becomes a doctor, the other becomes very ill. Suffering from an incurable illness, he wants to end his life in dignity, before it is not worth living anymore. His friend, the doctor, has to cope with an impossible dilemma.

This is the story, based on historic facts, of Tot Altijd (Until Forever). The MS-patient Mario Verstraete campaigned in Belgium for a law making euthanasia legal, and he was the first to put the new law into practice. The film focuses on Verstraete's relationship with his friends, each of whom react in a different way to his wish to die.

Films about death tend to be very serious and heavy. Tot Altijd is not, thanks to the very sharp and witty dialogue of the friends, some of whom are masters in black humour. They constantly tease each other and have little respect for formality or political correctness. Just one example: hours before Mario Vestraete will get a deadly medicine, his doctor and friend Thomas gets a call from a Belgian newspaper called La Dernière Heure (The Last Hour). 'How symbolic can you get', he immediately jokes.

Still, there are some pretty gripping scenes in the film. One is the scene where Verstraete and two doctors set the date for the final act of ending his life. Thomas, who is also present, is visibly shocked by the way Vestraete matter-of-factly marks the date in his diary. Another very strong scene is the final gathering of the friends, to say goodbye tot Verstraete. One of them decides to read the speech he has prepared for the funeral. Anyone not touched by this scene, has a heart of stone. Be prepared for tears on the screen as well as in the cinema.

The film is emotional, but never gets sentimental. It's no easy job to keep the balance between the two, but director Nic Balthazar succeeds effortlessly. Moreover, the acting is superb. This is a movie that will touch anyone who sees it.

This movie is fantastic, it really is a shout movie! I had so hard never really cried for a movie like "Until Forever"! It's a really compelling movie and you really go all the way into the story for during the 2nd part! The time during the last Dinner is recited a speech that is so catchy that you really so hard get a headache from the screaming not normal! It is really best movie I have ever seen and also the most gripping film! Really clever of what the actors have put in this movie! In the cinema was really the audience to shout! This movie is really fantastic !! Unbelievable !! The film is really worth !! xxx

Three friends, a life, a career. And then the diagnose of m.s., a non-terminal disease. A disease, or maybe dis- ease. Suffering, everyday a bit more dis-ease. Fighting for a law to choose between life an death, to quit rather than to get sacked by life. For the right to die. And using that law as one of the first. Humor and tears. About success and defeat. A film, once seen, that can't be denied. After a real life story. I could tell more, but I think it is better to leave it to the audience

If "beefhead" earned an Oscar nomination, this one earns 2 Oscars. One for the story and one for the actor. Maybe also one for the photography.

I was curious about this movie and was disappointed. It attempts to commercially abuse a terrible disease. The drama is bad. The actors are highly unlikeable characters and the story filmed unconvincingly. To add "humor", they include a long racist scene in a Chinese restaurant in attempt to be funny. The actor on the right side of the table even gives a hostile look to the Chinese waiter, while the character on the left says some more racist jokes. The whole movie was an insult to MS patients. The movie did not increase sympathy, but uses MS as a way to make people watch it. I totally regret watching this lame movie. Very bad. Not recommended.