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In The Netherlands there was quite a buzz around this movie. Unfortunately, this means that it's virtually impossible to see it without any prejudice. For instance, most people know that it's Reinout Oerlemans' first movie as a director, how the story goes and how it ends. I'd rather seen the film not knowing the above.

Having said that, I think it's a pretty good movie. It has a good story behind it, but it translated pretty well to the big screen. What I really like is how Stijn's business-life looks like, how his doubts are portrayed and how the suffering of the characters is brought to life. I do think that the relationship of Stijn and Carmen is portrayed a little bit superficial, focusing primarily on physical attraction and the business connection. The emotional link between the two could have gotten more attention in the first part. But that's the only major point of critique. In the end, it's not about what attracts Stijn and Carmen emotionally, it's how they both deal with Carmen's cancer and the impact it has on their lives. And that part, I feel, is brought to life pretty well in this movie.

It's a film made in 2009, but what it tried to address as a sub plot was miles better than what Love Cuts did through an entire film, with a better cast, direction, and of course, budget. Stricken is a Dutch film directed by Reinout Oerlmans, based on a novel by Raymond van de Kulndert, that deals with romance, sickness and mortality all rolled into one, firm in its focus on the principle characters whom you'd probably see shades of someone in your circle, and is about life's journey that everyone will have to go through.

When we're young, the world is our oyster and the sky's the limit. There's this feeling of invincibility that nothing can touch us, and that we're infallible. That is until Fate almost always know how to throw a curve ball at us, so that we and others around us will get to learn some lessons, eat humble pie, and start to seriously look at what we're doing with our lives. Stijn (Barry Atsma) is a high flying advertising executive who meets an equally career minded superwoman in Carmen (Carice van Houten) with whom he falls instantly in love with. They soon get married after a whirlwind romance, and life's looking pretty good with their venturing out on their own, and becoming their own boss. Until Carmen gets a lump in her breast that's deemed malignant.

For the first third of the film, told in chapters, it recounts what countless of breast cancer patients had already gone through, and as such turns in to be quite instructive, with a peek into how the Dutch medical system handles the chemotherapy, radiation treatment and the option of amputation. The shock in its discovery, denial, acceptance, and to live life with a condition, is what van Houten, a wonderful actress, aces in her role of Carmen, now a wife and mother to a toddler, trying to live a life of normalcy while battling the dreaded disease. Support comes from her husband in accompanying her to the doctor's, chauffeuring her around and such. But there's a problem that she's well aware of - his infidelity, and in what would be mentioned in fairly crude terms, he's a boob man, and so lies the insecurities and fear of not being a complete woman to prevent her husband from straying.

What she doesn't know is of the extent of his infidelity, which is only privy to Stijn's best friends who cover his tracks for him, and us the audience. Again it makes you wonder what marriage vows are for and if they're worth any weight in gold, and what truly hammers it home is that while one can provide physical support by being around when needed, or even to the point of scooting off whenever opportunity presents itself, what would really matter in any closed one's time of need, is emotional availability. And this is sometihng that can be sensed whether you are conscious of it or otherwise. Sensed by the person suffering, and adding a bit of unnecessary stress and worry. Anyone who had provided care and been a primary care giver before, will know the hardships associated with being there for someone, and sometimes battling the need for a little time off.

Which in Stijn's case, that time off from the wife meant having to go get laid, beginning a more serious affair with painter Roos (Anna Drijver) whom he meets at the club in an annual festival, finally mustering the courage not to accept a friendly smile, but demanding something more. It's easy to condemn Stijn as a character since we can all cast rocks at his adulterous behaviour, but I guess for cinematic reasons Drijver could be here just for eye candy reasons. What I felt was this being a personification of anything that's to distract us from doing what's necessary, since anything out of routine, together with gratification obtained, would surely beat the dreadedness in caring for the sick.

Stricken catches itself and gets its act together for the emotional, final half hour, after plenty of dalliances between the different love affairs, and for Stijn to finally wake up through a round-about fashion. While van Houten may be the bigger name on the marquee thanks to films like Black Book and Valkyrie that were released here, Barry Atsma held his own opposite van Houten, and we feel the pain felt by both characters as they maneuver around the disease which start to wreck havoc in their lives. And this is truly an experience nobody would like to go through, with questions, insecurities and escapism rolled out against a spectrum of emotions accurately captured and portrayed by the actors, with an ending that will surprise, though not uncommon depending on the laws of the land.

Rated R21 here for the countless of nudity scenes from van Houten, Drijver and countless of other faceless females that Stijn can't seem to get enough of, and one bloody harrowing scene where a female clubber dances, strips, and then proceeds to rip her breast off in one sweeping motion. Bound to give anyone some nightmares for its degree of gore.

European film companies willingly tackle subjects that no "self- respecting" U.S. film company would touch, probably for fear of alienating their market. Stricken is such a film. This Dutch offering could have only been produced in The Netherlands or Belgium and stars the inimitable Carice van Houten opposite the very capable Barry Atsma.

Convincing dialog, superlative acting, cinematography and directing, with a story line that will provoke thought and move you, this is not light fare, but a drama that offers real substance, raises valid questions and presents people as real people. The characters aren't perfect, aren't cookie cutter "heroes" or "villains," but possess flaws as well as virtues. The story line is multi-level and presents a facet of life in the Low Countries that has yet to be dealt with in our U.S. culture.

Food for the brain, possibly food for the soul (depending upon one's view of the issues), Stricken should be considered must viewing for anyone who looks to movies for more than light entertainment.

You may not agree with the moral decisions in the movie--by any of the characters--but the decision of Carmen (van Houten) is one that many will find understandable. It is her decision and the lifestyle choices of her and Stijn (Atsma) which, along with the events leading to her decision which create the drama, the tension and social/moral dilemmas.

I consider this to be one of the premier movies to come from Europe in the last decade. Few will consider it a peaceful film, almost no one could call it a "feel good" or happy movie, but it offers a view that some might find ultimately comforting.

Not worth watching. The typical (commercial) dutch cinema will guarantee a story that will give you the 'deja vu' experience of a lifetime, because of the selling-point of these movies they need to make a success movie... To bad that they just keep looking in what was a success in the Hollywood box office...

And they never seem to actually do it...

The story is of-course a rip-off of many many Hollywood movies. To bad that there is not enough money left in the dutch cinema to make something less cheesy. Let alone forbid the fact that they will not cop to the pressure of "this needs to be a success"

So bad man... good wife... lots a bullshit around it to fill the rest o the movie. True love... uhh yeah something like that...

Anyways a lot of resemblance for woman that have a bad choice in men in real life so they can become just as mad as when they are watching a bad soap opera...

Which is exactly what this movie is. A ninety minute soap opera. Better go and watch something fun and romantic from the Hollywood section.

For starters, i did not read the book. So i'm not going to make a comparison.

The movie has a heavy story to tell, as movies about cancer always have. But this one is different. The main character cant coop with the cancer his wife has, and fills his emptiness with the love of another woman. Not that he had such clean hands before, and his wife is aware of that. For some reason he just can't have enough of one woman. The movie will tell you how that develops trough time in the harsh time that is awaiting them.

Directing and script.

I found Reinout Oerlemans did a pretty good job on the directing, but there are a few critical points.I thought the directing got a bit in a loop, using to much of the same angles and effects which can be a bit boring for the viewer. The same thing happens with the script, you come to a point were everything is clear, and it should enter a new chapter in the story. But it seems the director needed to be sure he got the message to the viewer. And that for me is the weakest part of the movie, it spreads the whole thing a bit to long.

Acting

The acting is great, Carice does a great, great job (as always). Showing allot of different emotions and giving so much character to here role. Also Barry Atsma does a great job on acting as well, i was not familiar with him but I'm anxious to see more movies with his screenplay. All the supporting roles where fine and well picked. I did not notice my self the be annoyed with any role or what so ever.

A must see film, a directing debute for Reinault Oerlemans who did a great job, but could use a bit more finesse and diversity.

Tissues advised.