The Renovation

You don't have to resource to supernatural beliefs in order to make a pact with the devil. In fact, our everyday life is full of suggestions that, when not taken into consideration, might tie us up to a life threatening contract.

"De Verbowing" is a Dutch production that simply tackles the game of trust and how personal vulnerability can get you into irreversible traumas. It's a good thriller that not only entertains but also makes you wonder how much can you trust the people that come into your life. The acting is balanced and the action nicely measured. It's more about how things can get out of hand when decisions are made in a moment of desperation.

2.5 / 10.

From the beginning it is boring and slow to develop, there is no tension and we do not bond with the story and the characters. It's quite predictable, and the other half of the film is funny because it's like the Wild West.

De Verbouwing is a nice, not too complicated Dutch thriller. With a lot of familiar faces from television dramas like Goede Tijden, Vuurzee, Gooische Vrouwen. Having said that, the film also feels like a television drama. It is smooth, well acted, not much action, but tense at times. The music reminded me very much of the soundtrack of "Basic Instinct'. Tjitske has a lot of screen time and handles it very well. No Oscar material but very worth watching. From the book by Saskia Noort with the same title. Save it for a rainy afternoon and you will have a good time. And for foreign viewers remember: Dutch viewers very much like to trash their own movies, so the average rating and criticism seem rather typical but says more about the viewers than the movie.