Van God Los (2003)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Pieter Kuijpers

Writers:

Pieter Kuijpers (co-writer)
Paul Jan Nelissen (writer)

Release Date:

24 April 2003 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Keihard En Confronteren (Rock Hard and In Your Face)

Plot:

Two small town Dutch boys whose socially unnatural friendship is so close, they care nothing for human or divine rules and lose all grip on reality, sliding into violent crime.

Plot Keywords:

Beating | Police Station | Monkey Costume | Clobbering | Hitman

Awards:

7 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Egbert Jan Weeber	...	Stan Meijer
Tygo Gernandt	...	Maikel Verheije
Angela Schijf	...	Anna Sprengers
Mads Wittermans	...	Sef
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Selma Avkapan	...	Granddaughter of Osman
Tamer Avkapan	...	Nadir
Marnie Blok	...	Joke
Bacha Chilaia	...	Frank
Loek Ewalds	...	Police officer 1
Mark Kleuskens	...	Police Officer 2
Cemil Kurtgözu	...	Suleyman
Pim Lambeau	...	Mevr. van de Velde
Frits Lambrechts	...	Dhr. van de Velde
Johnny Lion	...	Johan Schreurs
Peter Post	...	East-European man
Harry van Rijthoven	...	Bert
Ronald Schuurbiers	...	East-European man
Ergun Simsek	...	Hassan
Els Ingeborg Smits	...	Moeder Anna
Huub Stapel	...	Herbert Meijer
Alden Susa	...	Boy at funeral
Diego Teixeira	...	Stan (11 years)
Brader Torun	...	Osman
Mike van den Akker	...	Friend of Yuri
Deryl van Mieghem	...	Yuri
Joop Wittermans	...	Vader Anna
Helmert Woudenberg	...	Inspecteur Geukers

Also Known As:

Godforsaken! (literal English title)
Stir Crazy

Runtime:

Netherlands:83 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch | Turkish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Germany:18 | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

BNN TV

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first shot of the black Ford Sierra that they use in the final robbery, the license plate on the car (XB-two digits-two letters) is the same one as on the Opel Senator that was used earlier. In the shot that follows (when they drive up to the elderly couple's house), the car has a different plate, with the combination XH-two letters-two digits. A plate with this combination was not issued until 1998/99.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Baantjer: De Cock en de moord op herhaling - Deel 1 (#12.3)" (2006)

Convincing acting

Van God Los, a crime story loosely based on the 'gang of Venlo', has some interesting elements. First off, the acting is rather good, and Gernandt truly shines as 'bad guy'. When having to play a more social character who wishes to become father, the problems arise just there. Keep on type-casting him for the bad guy, he can do that just fine.

Secondly, the movie keeps focussed on it's main story and doesn't wander off. This way it's high paced and it's what the movie needed.

The other actors convince as well and the story is sad, compelling and tough to watch at the same time. Too bad though the movie isn't wrapped up too nicely, the end scene when Stan wants to die was silly at best.

But overall, a decent flick. We've seen worse around these parts of the world. 6/10.