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Jean van der Velde never had a problem with soapactors acting in his films, although the Dutch critics (and in the early nineties when soaps where introduced in The Netherlands, almost everybody involved in so called serious acting) didn't approve this. But Jean van der Velde put Antonie Kamerling (Peter Kelder in the first Dutch soap 'Goede tijden , slechte tijden') in his 'De Kleine Blonde Dood' (1993) and the critics adored Kamerling. In 'All Stars' (1997) Kamerling stars again in a Van der Velde movie. The public loved this picture so much that the film got a televisionseries for three seasons. And in 'Lek' (2000) we find Cas Jansen (Julian Verduyn in 'Goede tijden Slechte tijden') in the lead role, with Thomas Acda (also All Stars).Again the critics were stunned by the performance given by an ex-soapie. Some critics even said more people should have seen it in the cinema. But the public didn't really feel like seeing it in the cinema (this happened to a lot of good or at least fair Dutch movies).That's a real shame, because 'Lek' is (one of) the best movie of 2000.The story about a cop who wants to make a promotion, runs a criminal informant and gets in more trouble than he could ever imagine, is entertaining, topical (because of the Dutch IRT-affair, also with criminal informants) and believable. This is because the script is not just about shooting, shouting and killing people in a horrible way, but also about humans.All the main characters develop themselves: Eddy (Cas Jansen) starts as a young greenhorn and in the end he's as tough as can be. Jack (Victor Low) used to be a criminal, but when he becomes father he wants to get out. And it turns out that Franco, Eddy's partner at the police department (played by Thomas Acda) uses his jokes to make some sort of protection shield for himself. The only main character not really developing is Ria (played by pretty girl-next-door Ricky Koole), Eddy's girlfriend. She is no more than a loving, sweet, good-looking woman providing the location for the final quite spectacular scene of the film. So except for Ria, everybody develops.Besides the story and the more-dimensional side of the characters there is another thing making 'Lek' a stunning film: The dialogues. For instance, at the moment Jack becomes Eddy's informant Jack says: 'When I sneeze, you'll catch a cold.' (In the original Dutch version: Als ik moet niezen, wordt jij verkouden Edje). Also the dialogue between Eddy and Franco, when Franco thinks Eddy is being a corrupt policeman, is a must see. Franco: You screw your wife, you laugh with your mates and you kneel for God. Eddy, doesn't understand: Huh. Franco: Not the other way 'round: never kneel for your wife, laugh with God and screw your mates. (in Dutch it sound better: Franco: Met je vrouw naai je, met je maten lach je en voor God kniel je. Eddy: Hé? Franco: Niet andersom: nooit knielen voor je vrouw, lachen met God en je maten naaien.) And there are more good one-liners in this film. One of the best things about the movie is that it is original in many ways. The killing of a traitor (?) to Haveman in the very first scene in the film, is not an ordinary one, but a very inventive killing, which you don't forget as fast as in other films where someone is being eliminated.Another scene you won't forget is the one were Jack is with his baby-girl and his Lambourgini, cursing to the mother of the child because she is shouting at the kid. Then Jack makes her go away and he explains to Eddy that 'the bitch' should have respect for the little one. In a strange way, Jack's emotions really touch the viewer at this moment. This happens in more scenes and gives Jack (always carrying the baby around with him, even when he's shooting!) an emotional, believable character and it gives the movie definitely a surplus value.The only thing not that good about the movie is the almost last scene in Ria's animal shelter where eddy is being hunted. This kind of scenes (where the hero of the story shows the public he's an animal lover by rescuing a few and he can dodge bullets and fires like the best) are not new and this particular one isn't renewing.But that is the only blemish on this very fine film.
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