Hop

Hop (2002), directed by Dominique Standaert, is really two films that are patched together in the same movie. The first third of the movie depicts two undocumented immigrants from Burundi who live in Brussels. Dieudonné, (Ansou Diedhiou) and his son Justin, (Kalomba Mboyi) have a quiet--if marginalized--life in a working-class neighborhood. It's clear that father and son love and respect each other, and that they're both intelligent and resourceful human beings.

Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, Dieudonné is arrested, and Justin ends up living with an alcoholic anarchist--Frans (played by Jan Declair) and his housekeeper, Gerda (Antje de Boeck). The interactions among the three are complex and interesting.

At this point the plot moves in a different direction, and becomes essentially a caper film-- can this unlikely trio actually free the boy's father from imprisonment and deportation.

The acting is uniformly excellent. Both Decleir and de Boeck are veteran Belgian actors, and they are highly competent professionals. (de Boeck may be a little too attractive for her part, but she conveys intelligence and compassion extremely well.)

Mboyi and Diedhiou are both newcomers, and they are extraordinarily talented. They look and act like father and son, and it was hard to remember that they were really just two actors doing a fine professional job.

For the caper part of the film, Standaert brings in the glamorous Alexandra Vandernoot as the tough, competent Police Commissioner Taminiaux. Her role didn't really call for much screen time, but when you've managed to sign a beautiful, nationally-famous actor to co-star in an independent movie, you'd better be prepared to work her into every possible scene.

The famous Belgian football hero Emile Mpenza is mentioned throughout the film, and he has a cameo part at the end. The movie has several clever touches like that. It's definitely worth seeing, and, in my opinion, it's much better than its dismal IMDb rating of 6.8 would suggest.

I think Hop will work very well on DVD. (Belgium is a wonderful tourist destination, but it doesn't have much scenic grandeur that would require a large screen.) We saw it at the Alan Lutkus International Film Series presented by SUNY Geneseo.

I don't usually get a chance to go to film festivals, but i am so glad I went to see HOP. This is an excellent film and a refreshing change to the ones Hollywood likes to churn out.

I knew nothing about this movie when I went into the theatre, but I loved it. It was funny, and not slapstick or any of that stupid 'Dumb and Dumber' or 'American Pie' crap. It was genuinely funny. I don't know why people keep saying that the story line was terrible, the ending was predictable, yes, but isn't that true with almost all Hollywood movies? Hmmm?

You gotta love the characters. They are so real, and the director and screenwriter were quite clever in revealing a lot of their history (like between Gerda) without making it ham-handed and melodramatic. The acting was very good.

I think its the pastoral and simple touch to the film. It still has a bit of that light quality, and yet some poignancy to its make. It is definitely a film worth watching and your only concern will be actually finding a theatre that will screen it.

This film has it all, politics, football, history, action, quirky characters and an incredibly clever plot. The inventiveness of some of the plot lines are truly unique. I have never seen another film like it.

I am a French teacher and I love to see how the warmth of the relationships and the issues of illegal immigrants lead my students into some great debates. I was thrown off at the beginning by the German lessons, but it all makes sense in the end. Some of the scenes are laugh out loud funny, you can't help but get involved.

I won't spoil the ending by explaining the meaning of Le Hop, but it is an important life lesson that I have never forgotten.

I am so glad I have finally found a local theater that shows indie

movies. It is very refreshing.

This particular movie was so lighthearted and entertaining that you

can't help but love it. Of course, I know nothing about Belgian

politics--in fact, I'm not even 100% sure I know where Belgium is

(somewhere in Eurasia, I think)--but I was still able to enjoy it. It

has great photography, acting, and characters. The story is a little

out there, but it's a movie, so who cares? That doesn't make it any

less fun to watch. I think it was well worth my time. 8/10 stars.

Two greatest Belgian actors playing in this movie, Jan Decleir and Antje Deboeck. The story about illegal african people beeing send back to Africa. I liked the movie. The story is not realistic but very well played. Very nice movie to watch and to think about our way to threat people staying illegal in western countries.