Bullhead

I stumbled across this movie last night, and, although I'd no idea who the director or any of the actors are, based on the reviews, and especially the trailer, I decided to take a look.

I'm both sorry and glad I did.

I think the lead actor in this movie, Matthias Schoenaerts (who, incidentally, should have been cast as Bane in Batman Rises. He IS Bane) has a bright future in Hollywood. Certainly I know I'll be checking out his other movies, now that I'm aware of him.

Bullhead constantly threw me for a loop and kept me on my toes all at the same time.

The obvious simpatico between director Michael R. Roskam and Mr. Schoenaerts is evident in the constant tension and slight unease that's able to be maintained throughout the entire movie, even during the "softer" (if you can call them that) moments of the film. The scenes of Jacky, alone in his room/apartment are very powerful.

Jacky's alienation and rage make us, the viewer both nervous, as though he'll somehow be able to reach through the screen and bring us, kicking and screaming into his brutal world, and sympathetic as we're able to see the reason for this young man's pain.

The Oscar nomination (I've forgotten if it won or not, but if it didn't it should have) was well deserved, and I look forward to great things from this wonderful young actor.

Hoss.

The kind of movie that hits you in the face. Once you learn the dark childhood-story of the main character, you learn to understand the movie more and more. The images are intense. Actor Matthias Schoenaerts makes an incredible impression.

This movie doesn't use explosions, 3D or other tricks to make you watch. But the powerhouse performances and typical Belgium scenery do.

The movie is set in the hormones and veterinarian mob. But the true story at the heart is one of revenge and the impossibility of love. Enter a raw, but true world. An brilliant Belgium movie. It deserves an Oscar.

PS: For Dutch or French viewers some scenes are actually funny because or the stereotypes and linguistic jokes.

I found this film remarkable for its ability to stir feelings of sympathy for a kind of character who seems utterly brutish and unredeemable. Jacky is a brute, the kind of man who all too often resorts to abominable acts of violence when he's aroused. And yet, thanks to the portrait of Jacky drawn by the director and by the actor, we cannot help but feel great sorrow for him. Yes, Jacky does terrible, terrible things over the course of the film, but by the end I was sobbing for him. Maybe it's simply "tout comprendre, c'est tout pardonner", but whatever that emotion was I felt at the film's end it was something that revealed to me (and one would hope to all who see this film) a terrifying and redemptive bond of common humanity.

This is without doubt one of the best European films I've ever seen.

First of all this was a brilliant performance by Mattias Schoenaerts, his character being a man tormented by a childhood trauma that makes him withdrawn and only really relating to the animals on his farm, even through his silence you can feel the agony he goes through because of this being such a good performance by him.

Having lived on farms it is also refreshing to see a good crime film based on the countryside underworld and for it to be accurate as well to various themes of this film.

One of the only downsides to this film is that the flashbacks that occur are scattered about and can cause some confusion if your not paying full attention to the film.

However overall a great watch and it is not a surprise to see it got nominated for best foreign film of the year.

A must see - 9/10

You do not have to be Belgian to appreciate and be an admirer of this movie. The way it is told, filmed and performed are Oscar worthy....

This the incredibly sad story of Jacky, a farmer who's whole life will be turned upside down following a dramatic and traumatising event in his youth....making him the man (or what's left of it) he is today!

It handles in a very realistic way the animal (cow-bull) drug and hormone maffia and its traffic. Following the lives of several people who are directly affected by it.

The two stories, one the telling of Jacky's way to deal with his trauma and how he suffers from it, how it affected him and the other about the hormone traffic are brilliantly melt together to a story that will leave no one insensitive!!

AMAZING!!