Sibéria

After I saw "Karakter" (Character) I knew that in The Netherlands we could also make movies worth looking. This one proves that also. After seeing too many movies with an "American way of life"-look it is a relief to see something completely Dutch. While it's not so perfect as "Character" it's still much better than the average which comes from Hollywood. The actors are exactly at the right place, and the music from Junkie XL is really cool , but I always liked the Prodigy-style.

Since last summer I am a big fan of Dutch cinematography. I saw movies of Jos Stelling, Gert de Graaff, Paula van der Oest and Mike van Diem. Every movie represents absolutely different style, but all of them are on the highest level. And so is Siberia. It is not the best I have ever seen, but it is a professional movie with very good story. Sometimes it is good to see "wrong" heroes. You don´t have to agree with every thing they do but still you can enjyo it. What I want is to see some Czech movies like this - showing the problems of the presence and not the past. And not trying to solve them. So I vote 8/10.

Goof and Hugo are friends with a hobby. In Amsterdam, they pick up female tourists and get intimate quickly. When the girls are asleep, their money is stolen along with the first page of their passport.

The scheme is upset when Lara comes to town and gets treated by Goof and Hugo. Goof habitually falls in love with the girl, but this time Hugo cannot get him to move on. Will Lara's desire to take Goof home to Siberia drive the friends apart?

Given that it is a low-budget Dutch production, this movie has a lot going for it. Most of the conversations are in English, which should limit subtitling to a minimum. The score by Amsterdam-based DJ's Junkie XL is excellent and the movie has a good pace. Those who have been to the city, or are familiar with the tourist scene in Amsterdam, are sure to have a good laugh at some of the characters in the movie.

The film deals with two apparently heartless, empty men, Goof and Hugo, who seduce tourists and then rob them of their passports and some of their cash. This is until they meet Lara and Goof finds himself too attached to continue his ruthless ways.

In looking at these two empty men, this film seems to ignore the fact that it is as empty and soulless as the two protagonists. The film has a very slight story - so slight that it's hard to care. Basically the two men find their match in the equally untrustworthy Lara, there's also a love triangle plot and a bet. But really it's very thin and without substance.

The performances are pretty good, although Goof is not totally convincing. However the script lets everyone down and the director cannot hide it. The director tries to be as hip as possible (he's obviously seen Trainspotting and the like), he uses a pumping dance soundtrack, he uses different film stocks, slow-mo, different camera angles etc etc. It really like he's making a 90 minute pop video - but that doesn't make a good film, instead it just highlights how empty the whole thing is.

The ending doesn't really mean anything and the film doesn't have any moral or message. Instead this just wants to get a young audience by having drugs and sex, fast music, music video direction and hip, morally ambiguous characters.

I did like this movie. Mostly because it is just much fun and very recognizable, mainly becuase it plays in Amsterdam, where I live. But it is more than just a fun movie. Although it isn't brilliant, it is good enough.

A feel good movie which makes you glad to live in Amsterdam, glad you are not a tourist here!