Peter Bell

"Pietje Bell," directed by Maria Peters, brings the iconic Dutch children's book character to life on the big screen. The film follows the mischievous adventures of Pietje Bell, a spirited young boy living in the fictional Dutch town of Kruiswijk.

While the movie attempts to capture the whimsy and charm of the original stories, it ultimately falls short of expectations. The plot feels disjointed, with scenes that lack cohesion and fail to engage the audience. Despite the best efforts of the cast, led by Quinten Schram as Pietje Bell, the characters come across as caricatures rather than fully developed personalities.

The film's production values are adequate, but they cannot compensate for its lackluster storytelling and pacing issues. Overall, "Pietje Bell" may appeal to die-hard fans of the books, but it struggles to make a lasting impression on a wider audience.

Pietje Bell left me with the same impression as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone, which is: nice images, good adventure, so-so acting of the leads and sometimes irksome dialogue.

The Rotterdam of the 1920s was convincingly portrayed. There was a cartoonesque feel to the decor, which made it easier to focus on the story. The nose of aunt Cato was hard to believe in though, and drew attention to the fact that I was watching a film. Also the newspaper manager acted too 'modern' for my taste.

I did have a bit of a hard time believing the sister wanting to date the gruesome Joseph. Which, in a sense, is a compliment for the two actors, because they managed to convincingly portray good and bad.

I liked it. It's a typical family-movie in a old Dutch setting. Sometimes the jokes are really boring, but overall a 7/10. Perfect for kids with parents.