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Very irritating: the diction of the actors, especially their accents, which is typical of people working for national radio and TV in the Netherlands. "Bekakt Goois". In Hoogeveen.

Visually stunning but with a story that presents a dreary view of late 19th century Amsterdam. A pharmacist and his cousin concoct a plan to emigrate poor peat workers to America when an investor decides to build a luxury hotel and buy up downtown properties. They see an opportunity to pocket some money and offer the peasants a new start in the land of the free. Things don't go well in negotiations lending to some tragic results. Slower paced but excellent performances keep A Noble Intention interesting if flawed.

Three story lines, maybe effective in the book but not in this movie. The most interesting part, only 30 minutes, is the struggle between the protagonist trying to sell his shop and the investor who doesn't want to pay what the shop owner is asking. The rest seems only padding to fill it up to feature length. To bad, because the eye candy is satisfying, i.e. the image of old Amsterdam.

Despite an expensive production, the narrative is unconvincing. "Value of location" is one of the main topics of the film. Nonetheless, the film does not give the viewer a sense of place.

The choice and ordering of scenes undermine any tension to be build up. The different story lines do not support, but destroy each other. Important changes in the plot are not properly introduced or visually translated. As a result the gradual emotional breakdown of the violin maker, one of the main characters, is not convincing. The end scene of the doctor, the other main character, is so ridiculous and pathetic that it melts down the entire Hoogeveen storyline. Vital themes such as social injustice, or the arrival of modernity are treated as interchangeable backdrop. A relevant storyline is lacking.

By result the causality of the narrative breaks down and all events become arbitrary.

Pretty frustrating, as Rosenboom's success novel must have had all layers in place. A film can never be as rich as a novel, but a film must present those strings that contain the story. That is unfortunately not the case here.

Great movie!! My favorite part is when, at a funeral, you see a graveyard worker pulling a blanket from a caskit. Why i like this part so much you ask? Well maybe the fact that the person acting as graveyard worker is ME. But it's not a bad movie in general but not for brood audience cause it's a historical drama.