Win/Win

Usually I'm none too fond of the Dutch film industry - all too many Dutch films try to mask the lack of a decent plot by tossing in non-functional nudity and are irritating at best. This film is one of those few examples that shows that things can be done differently and that there -are- films to be proud off being made here.

It all starts as a young guy gets introduced into the world of investment trading after he's been identified as the person leaving notes with good insights a few times. As he lays his hands on the machine and starts making a name for himself it becomes clear he's no one-day fly - his results are shocking as he's raking in more and more money every day. And with that comes the other side of the story - is he able to deal with this sudden success? In a whole it's a pretty standard film in which a loner that is met with a sudden change of success is also met with a sudden change in popularity. It changes him in the same way that has been done before but it's played out very nicely. He's a likable guy and his slow gradual slip away from reality is understandable. So, as a film, it works. It's compelling and odd.

9 out of 10 proper investments

It's interesting and entertaining, but it doesn't quite add up. We get plenty of the character cracking up, but there's no real motivation for his decline - it feels like one of those films where things happen because "it says so in the script". Nevertheless, the lead actor is so fascinating that you're happy to watch his journey, even though it ends up leading us nowhere.

The charismatic actor Oscar Van Rompay takes you behind the gleaming glass facades of the ivory tower to where the noise of success means everything, even amidst the deep fall of the economy. The opening title sequence is great, so go in to see that, and stick around, it is time well spent.

The opening, coupled with the fresh upbeat soundtrack, made the audience smile right off the bat. The visually creative cinematography lets us wander through Amsterdam at night due to Ivan's insomnia, visualize and thus feel the texture of the rug when he takes his shoes off, and smell the cigarettes on the sidewalk outside a bar with the receptionist at work. On other counts, it never takes itself too seriously, with light and humorous touches, balanced by the maxim that what rises up must always fall.

I must admit the fact that Ivan, the main character is a gawky nerd who can do calculus in his head really stuck a chord with me. I heard mixed reviews in the SIFF press screening on the way out.