After seeing this dutch movie at a festival something stood out when I listened to other people talking about it. The reactions were mainly positive, but they all ended with the words that the movie was good “for a Dutch movie”. It’s like saying “Yeah, he’s pretty good in tying his shoes….for someone who only has one arm”. In other words, many Dutch people don’t feel that the quality of Dutch movies is high.
I have to admit that I’m someone who mostly skips Dutch productions because for a great movie like Wolf there are more than ten stupid romantic comedies. The fact that a movie like Aanmodderfakker won a golden calf (one of the highest prizes a movie can win in the Netherlands) is something I still don’t understand. Recently I tried giving Dutch films more of a chance and watched one on Netflix. And in the same week I watched this one. Did it manage to change the image I have of Dutch movies?
Victor (Leopold Witte) is a writer of fictional crime stories, who after arriving home find out that his wife isn’t home. Slowly he discovers that all his things have been removed from the house and that his wife has left a note that he has to be out of the house by the time she returns from work. He decided to rent a hotel room and is called by his son Zack (Tim Linde), because he can’t get into the house. He has had some issues with his girlfriend. When Victor has to travel to Scotland to promote his latest book, he decides to take Zack with him. During their journey and stay, which is anything but smooth, they learn more about each other and how they handle life.
Waterboys is a comedy which mostly approaches its story in a realistic way. The situations the two end up in never feel extreme, giving enough room for the emotional side of the story to develop. Both Victor and Zack have their issues and they advise each other how to deal with them. The movie does contain a few moments that stand out because of a different tone, like the publicist who feels too mean to be convincing (making another moment in the movie feels unnatural) or the situation in which Victor meets Zack’s girlfriend. Luckily those moments don’t happen much.
The film is well paced and has beautiful imagery of Scotland. The title of the movie references the band The Waterboys (who I was unfamiliar with), who aren’t only responsible for the soundtrack, but also are an important part of the movie. Victor is a fan of the band and wants to see them perform in Scotland. Leopold Witte and Tim Linde both feel convincing in their roles as father and son and Scottish actress Julie McLellan, whose character works in the hotel they are staying in, is someone who reminded me of Rachel Adams and is a joy to watch. Together with the other Dutch movie I watched it did manage to change my opinion of Dutch movies a little bit. I still won’t be running to the cinema to see the latest one, but I will probably give them a chance sooner. Director Robert Jan Westdijk, thank you.
Wonderful movie!’