De Patrick

The story is solid, polished and straightforward as a nail, but hits you hard like a mallet. I'm not too hot on the nudist aspect, but hey, that's just my blunt opinion. Anyways, I'll give it six hammer out of ten.

This movie was a real gem. I expected it to be a typical Flemish movie filled with cheap laughs, instead it's a visually impressive masterpiece with some laughs, some tears, and a very moving story about loss. It is also beautifully shot and well acted (except for Hannah Hoekstra, a Dutch actress who for some reason is trying to pass off a horrible Flemish accent). I disliked Kevin Janssens before this movie, but since seeing him in De Patrick he has become one of my favourite actors, and I respect him for being brave enough to take on the role. This movie has become on of my favourite movies, and I think Tim Mielants is one of Belgium's most talented moviemakers.

A fresh perspective about life. Familiar to many because the image of father, son and the world after the death of father are not original. Original can be the perspective because, in high measure, the main character is a lost hammer , becoming refuge, symbol, key of events. A film about vulnerability and isolation in yourself. Admirable crafted, beautiful acted.

"De Patrick" After watching this movie people question "is it a Drama or a Comedy"? Others Question if its about "dealing with the loss of his father" or "Trying to find his hammer", or is the search for the Hammer the way he deals with his fathers death.

What i think? I think that many times it's not about where your coming from or where your going to, but about what the travel brought you. So i think that the director wanted us to struggle with that question to keep us interested and wandering, and he succeeded.

You'll chuckle a few times, guaranteed, but the movie reminds you over and over and over that life is transient and humans are vulnerable - not just when they're naked, old and ugly, but all the time. Still worth seeing for the camera poetry. And the chuckles. And the memento mori, too :)