Alles is liefde (2007)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Joram Lürsen

Writer:

Kim van Kooten (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 October 2007 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Love is like Santa Claus. Believing is everything.

Plot:

LOVE IS ALL Klaasje has divorced Dennis, who cheated on her with a school teacher. Dennis would like her back...

Plot Keywords:

Prince | Department Store | School Teacher | Santa | Bar

Awards:

9 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Michiel Romeyn	...	Jan
Thomas Acda	...	Ted Coelman
Anneke Blok	...	Simone Coelman
Carice van Houten	...	Kiki Jollema
Jeroen Spitzenberger	...	Prins Valentijn
Wendy Van Dijk	...	Klaasje van Ophorst
Daan Schuurmans	...	Kees Tromp
Paul de Leeuw	...	Victor Jollema
Peter Paul Muller	...	Dennis
Chantal Janzen	...	Sarah
Valerio Zeno	...	Daniel Levi
Marc-Marie Huijbregts	...	Rudolf van Hoogstraten Bosch
Lies Visschedijk	...	Alicia
Viggo Waas	...	Youri
Marisa Van Eyle	...	Maria

Also Known As:

Love Is All (International: English title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch | English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Motel Films

Goofs:

Factual errors: Daniel Levi claims to be 16 years old, but in the opening sequence he is driving the van with the "Pieten". He needs to be 18 in order to have a drivers license in The Netherlands.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Kiki Jollema: I believe that that exists. That you can suddenly see a future with each other. That you know that someone still loves you if your sitting on the couch next to someone with your hanging milk boobs and exploded hair. That it's right, that it works.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Alles is liefde (2010)

Better Then Love Actually

'Alles is liefde' is the kind of romantic comedy which Hollywood and particularly the UK (a.k.a. Richard Curtis) have been producing for quite a while now. Especially 'Love actually' seems to have been a big inspiration for Kim van Kooten when writing the script for 'Alles is liefde'. It is even fair to say she bluntly stole half of 'Love Actually'. This would normally be enough to leave me filled with indignation, but not in this case, for a number of reasons:

1) I saw 'Alles is liefde' before I saw 'Love Actually'; 2) I'm easily surprised if a Dutch film has actual quality; 3) 'Love Actually' was pretty much a rip-off in its own write; 4) 'Alles is liefde' actually IS better.

Lots of stuff the same or similar, but for instance, the homeless man being forced into Santa Claus is a lot better story then the worn-out artist trying to score a Christmas number one hit single. The tragedy in this story gives the laughs a lot more power, and pretty much the same goes for the failed gay marriage-storyline.

Dialogue is just good, acting is good, and I don't want to hear crap about Dutch or European films having to be cultural, or super-original, low-budget camp. It's about time Europe started to make films for bigger audiences then the films for almost-bankrupt-art-film houses. And let's all pay attention to Spain, who time and time again are able to produce cultural, super original low-budget movies for a worldwide audience. But enough ranting ;-).

'Alles is liefde' is best defined by the though I had when I heard heard the title-song by Dutch band Blof a few times: I've got the distinct feeling I've heard it all before, but who cares: It's still a damn good song (film).