Het echte leven

This was the most fun I've had in a movie in a really long time. It's very clever, but it's not in your face about its cleverness at all. Rather, it sort of creeps up on you. It's a movie about a fictitious movie maker, but the (equally fictitious) private lives of the cast and crew quickly get tangled up with the plot. The story revolves around a love triangle riddled with seduction, suspicion, jealousy, and betrayal. The whole thing has an experimental feel to it, yet everything is superbly lit and shot, with a fair amount of hand-held camera-work and lots of stunning close-ups. But you don't have to be a Cahiers Du Cinéma subscriber to see the merits of a brown-eyed blonde beauty in Barbarella boots riding her bicycle around the streets of sunny Amsterdam, with a million dollar smile on her face. Sallie Harmsen, who plays the director's girlfriend Simone, has real star power. She could easily be the next Rebecca Romijn.

Director Westdijk is probably the most talented filmmaker in the Netherlands. However, since his very good debut 'zusje'(over ten years ago) he hasn't really delivered anything worthwhile. 'Siberia' was an OK follow-up, visually, but the story was somewhat disappointing. The same goes for 'Phileine zegt sorry'.

Now with his latest picture, Westdijk is supposed to deliver some kind of magnum opus. He has worked on the film for over 11 years, mainly perfecting the script.

'Het echte leven' is a film in a film. Character developments of crew-members slowly start to merge with those of the characters in the film they are making. This type of storytelling is like tight-rope walking, but Westdijk pulls it off.

The leading lady, Sallie Harmsen is incredible. As with 'zusje'(which featured the debut of Kim van Kooten) Westdijk proves he has a talent for scouting talent. And, of course, a talent for directing actors. Ramsey Nasr is also very good in his role as the director/leading actor.

It is he who stimulates the merging of real-life and fictitious character-development, but it affects himself as well.

The story develops smoothly and the movie is overall very enjoyable, visually near perfect. But I have to say that it doesn't leave a very big impression. We're supposed to be affected (I guess) by the emotional distress the leading actors end up in. But that just doesn't happen. Pity.

Still, it's a pretty good movie, the kind you will want to watch more than once. I will kindly leave the option open that it may grow on you when you will.