Bennie Brat (2011) User Reviews

The perfect Dutch family movie.

[hand-eti · 10/10 · 5 December 2013]

Something very is odd is up with that 5.5 score on IMDb. We see it with a lot of non-American movies - there are people randomly giving 1 point to movies in order to influence voting for whatever reason.

In reality, this is one of the best Dutch family movies. It has all the traditional Sinterklaas ingredients and gives it a very funny twist with the naughty kids hung in bags in the ship.

I assume the movie will not really appeal to a non-Dutch audience since all major ingredients are vital to one of the main Dutch holidays but unknown abroad: the steamship from Spain, Sinterklaas and his Pieten, the pepernoten (gingerbread cookies), etcetera... it's all just as plausible as Santa and his flying reindeer, and just as real to our children.

The movie also provides an explanation as to why Sinterklaas stopped shipping naughty children to Spain.

For any Dutch family, this movie is a must-see. People without kids, or who aren't Dutch, may still appreciate the scenic settings, the winter atmosphere and the good acting.

Family fun in a child's dream

[johannijenhuis · 9/10 · 21 September 2011]

When I was a kid, I was told that the legend of Saint Nicolas was over a hundred years old. I started to fantasize what it must have been like, when the Saint Nicolas took the naughty children on his ship to Spain. Seeing this film was like watching my own dream. The story of Bennie Stout who wants to be a naughty kid on purpose so he can visit his dad in Spain touched me. The last 20 minutes of the film are emotional (yes, I did cry) and the first half hour is plain fun. The mid part connected me to Bennie's hopes and dreams. It is a fun film for adults and kids alike. Art direction is lush, child performers are excellent and the comedy duo "Plien & Bianca" can be seen in two fun parts.

Charming and entertaining

[ron-van-wieringen · 9/10 · 26 October 2011]

This movie had something for everyone. The fact that the story is situated in the beginning of December and has a strong relation with the traditional celebration of Saint Nicholas' birthday, makes it very, VERY Dutch. In a way, you can compare it to 'Alles is Liefde' which is also unmistakably Dutch in its setting and theme. An important difference, compared to 'Alles is Liefde' is that Bennie Stout uses the story of Saint Nicholas in such a way that it is very credible for little children, whereas Alles is Liefde shows you the fictional side of the story. Bennie Stout has a beautiful story-line that is filled with entertaining details (such as the absence board on Saint Nicholas' boat that says 'Piet present/absent' ten times, the detailed pepernoten-factory, the raft constructed from taai-taai, the acrobatic stunts of the Pieten, etc) and humor on both children level and adult level. The setting in an old Dutch village about a hundred years ago is brilliant and gives the audience one beautiful scenery after another. People who love nice shots and beautiful pictures will really love this film. Not that it has many beautiful people (most of them are ugly), but the gorgeous Hanna Verboom makes up for all the others. She is very well chosen for the part of the tender, caring, beautiful but tormented young mother. Of all adult actors she undoubtedly gives the best performance. The child actors are also very good: Koen Dobbelaer (Bennie) is brilliant and very charming, he makes it very credible that he's not really bad, just a little clumsy. His 'enemy' Pieter Lossie (Roderick) is just as charming, though a little naughtier. For the role of Saint Nicholas there was only one serious candidate (Bram van der Vlugt) and I think Johan Nijenhuis was very lucky to have him for this part. One thing about the script that I liked very much is the fact that although the story has many strange and irrational elements, coming from the original myth (naughty children are really abducted by Saint Nicholas, all of his assistants are called Piet, the children are put into large bags, the Pieten climb in and out of chimneys) the actors act as if these things are completely normal. At night, the abducted children sleep in bags hanging from the ceiling, like it's completely normal and totally accepted. When the children are taken away, their parents react as if it's totally sane and inevitable. I like this absurdity a lot, it makes the movie really stand out. And I think it gives this movie a typically Dutch feel (see Alex van Warmerdam's Ober or Emma Blank or the two Paard van Sinterklaas movies). The last thing I want to mention is the music. I never heard so many variations of the traditional Saint Nicholas songs: jazz versions, classical versions, disco, opera, you name it. To paraphrase Saint Nicholas himself: "I can never get enough of Sinterklaas Kapoentje, it's such an evergreen".

Well, to make a long story short: there's something in this movie for everyone, it does not spoil young children's belief in the Saint, has a great story, it's very entertaining and very well crafted.

Nice tries hard to be naughty!

[[e-mail] · 10/10 · 25 March 2016]

Bennie Stout is not a bad boy, it is just that mischief and mayhem happen whenever he is around! He is energetic and bright, but often a little careless, especially about his personal safety (he gets into scrapes that his mother or brother have to rescue him from). He lives in a small, picture-postcard Dutch fishing village, circa 1930. His father is away working on a fishing boat off the coast of Spain. St. Nicholas' Day is approaching, and whilst other children want candy or sweets, all Bennie wants from St. Nicholas is the safe and prompt return of his father. When St. Nicholas delivers the list of naughty children he's going to abduct to the Mayor, Bennie sees his chance to get to Spain, where the naughty children are taken, and adds his name to the list! In this heart-warming and quirky Netherlands take on the normally Hollywood genre of children's musical comedy, Bennie finds it frustratingly difficult to be taken seriously as a naughty boy by Santa, who, of course knows his true nature! This movie manages to be charming, quirky, and funny, at the same time, and would probably appeal to fans of Petit Nicolas and Moonrise Kingdom. The cast are hugely talented.

Simply The Best

[wendelsitka-1 · 10/10 · 10 April 2018]

The most charming and engaging Saint Nicholas movie ever made. For all ages- children will be fully engaged, while the adults- will evolve into children. Briefly. A bounty of color, confection, and good cheer. Excellent movie.

Note: A reviewer comments the lackluster IMDb rating may be attributable to American influences. IMDb demographics (as of April, 2018): There are 14 US ratings, weighted average = 6.1. A total of 165 non-US ratings = weighted average = 6.0.

Bennie Stout is a nice family picture acted as was it in the thirties.

[theus-dinger · 9/10 · 5 January 2013]

Bennie Stout is a nice movie for kids and families as well. Although the story about Saint Nicolas (Dutch: Sinterklaas)is only legendary, most of Dutch kids under the age of about 7 or 8 years, believe the story of Sinterklaas has truly happened. This is respected throughout the whole picture. Most scenes outside the studio are shot in the "Zuiderzeemuseum" a reconstructed fishermans village from the time before this Zuiderzee was renamed to "IJsselmeer" because of the building of the 35 kilometer long enclosing dijk, to protect the west of the Netherlands against flooding by the sea. The movie starts with characteristic scenes of the Netherlands in the 1930's. Showing the life in a small village. Bennie Stout, one of the about 10 year old kids, want to seek for his father who works in Spain. Following the story, Sinterklaas lives in Spain and is only coming to Holland to celebrate his birthday (December 6)giving presents to the nice and behaving kids, and then returning to Spain with the "bad" kids to punish them there, Bennie decides to act as a "bad" boy. So Sinterklaas will bring him to Spain where he can search for his father. Things aren't happening like planned. But the scenes inside the ship of Sinterklaas are as humorous as the outside at night, where the helpers of Sinterklaas (called all "Zwarte Piet") are walking the roofs and dumping presents down the chimneys for the " good" kiddies. Just like America's Santa Claus. At the end of course everything will become alright. Bennie's father returns home and everybody is happy.