Godforsaken

This movie is loosely based on real events, and that's also pretty much the feel it has to it: real. This movie is not a vivid, lively crime drama, it's definitely no "Goodfellas" rip-off, it's one of the grayest and most depressing movies I've ever seen. The colors look, wait, what colors? The acting is excellent all around, I can't believe how convincing everyone's accent is. The plot is very basic and raw, even though the girlfriend issues do tend to get tiresome near the end. What I love most though is the ending narration, which consists of the most deadpan monologue ever. Those who can't be moved by this film have no pulse.

It's well known that Dutch movies have a notoriously (and completely deserved) bad name, but over the last couple of years they're starting to get better, as "Van God Los" clearly exemplifies.

First of all, there's finally some good acting in a Dutch movie, which is rather surprising since most of the main characters are soap actors that normally can't act their way out of cartboard box, but in this movie they all exceed themselves and deliver very convincing parts, complete with believable accents.

The atmosphere has also been done very well..I originally come from the region where the movie takes place, and the director really hit the spot with the ambiance by including things like Carnival parades and lots of greenhouses. Overall, the region comes across as just as dull as it is in reality, which in this case is a definite plus.

The story, although rather predictable (you know that the movie isn't going to end well), is again very plausible and well thought out. The characters show believable emotions and undergo believable developments, and somehow you care for them even though most of them would be aptly described as "scum".

All in all, "Van God Los" is a very realistic, strong and emotional movie that tells a slightly predictable but nonetheless fascinating and tragic story about friendship and crime. Dutch movies are definitely going the right way...

After reading the true crime novell " bende van Venlo" translated the venlo gang. I went to the cinema expecting a sort of gangster flick with a sick twist. Afterwards I can fairly tell that this isnt't the case. The Venlo gang story was just picked as a thin story bottom. What we see here is an social dramatic, but yes sometimes shocking violent movie. The characters should have been given a little more depth, especially because the first quarter is quit slow, my guess is that time could have been uses more usefull. I am being dutch, not a great dutch film lover, although I have to say that exeptions are made (turks fruit, soldaat van oranje, zusje) and especially the recent Lek made a giant leap in the right direction. Problem in in holland is mainly financial, big movie producers are not here. Back to the movie, the Maikel caracter is very well acted by Tygo Gernand and its a shame that non dutch viewers won't be able to spot the hilarious dialect. The Stan caracter although the main caracter is actually wiped of the screen by the above. Angela Schijf playing the girlfriend, is just perfectly casted, and know how her role fits in the movie. The story is about 2 youngsters, who start up a violent lifestyle, and as usual the story ends sadly. The message that I got from it is, non-caring parents beware. Stan growing up without his real dad, with a substitute who doesnt seem to notice him, the girlfriend with a copple of weak parents who should have given the little tramp an ass woopin a long time ago and Maikel who didn't even meet his dad at all. All in all its a very interesting movie which certainly has some great directing moments to it.

At first i was drawn in when i heard it was about a gang of teenage killers - based on a true story. The story is quite raw, sometimes a bit shocking. Excellent acting from Egbert Jan Weeber, who plays the lead role of Stan. The movie is quite depressing at times though. Van God Los ( or Godforsaken) is about three teenage boys who begin to kill before for the mafia boss - this is where the "Godfellas" part comes in. I didn't think this movie was mind-blowing or amazing. It was an okay movie ; i thought the acting was great. Some scenes in the film are very violent, and it's shocking to see how out of control they get, especially the character Maikel - in various scenes in the movie - especially near the end ! I thought there would've been a better ending though - it was unpredictable, which is always interesting.

To start off; i liked this film, particularly Tygo Gernandt's acting was plainly brilliant. The sorry thing about dutch films is, that mainly stage actors appear in dutch productions. Obviosously dutch directors find it very difficult to direct acclaimed theater actors, let alone telling them that stage acting(e.g. articulation and exaggerated physical expression) is a big no-no film acting. The southern dutch accent is very well performed by Tygo en Egbert, however most of the other actors 'slip back' to a pathetic attempt, particularly the ( here I go again) stage actors. The directing and the editing of this movie were very undutch and therefor very strong, the acting however........ three great actors can never compensate 10 mediocre to sloppy actors. Conclusion: A more dedicated and disciplined director combined with a less conservative casting director could have lifted this flick to a higher level and in the process would have put dutch film-making on the map.