Holland

I know most people didn't like this movie, I saw the ratings, read the reviews. But something about Holland stuck with me. It's not perfect. The pacing is off, the story doesn't always make sense, and it acts like it has something profound to say... but never quite says it.

And yet, maybe that's the point.

This isn't really a thriller, despite what it says on the tin. It's more like a slow, quiet metaphor for how a lot of us live now, especially women. We share space, time, and even intimacy with people we don't really know. We pretend things are fine because it's easier than asking the scary questions. We sense danger but doubt ourselves. We stay.

Nicole Kidman's performance is subtle. Too subtle, maybe. But there's something in her stillness that made me feel uncomfortable in a good way. Like someone trying very hard not to fall apart in front of anyone else. And maybe that's what the movie is really about.

I don't expect most people to agree with this review. That's okay. Not everything needs to be loud to be true.

Holland, is the definition of a surreal, psychedelic ride through mystery and bizarreness. Which I was expecting something just normal. I didn't watch the trailers or anything for this, so I had no idea what I was in for.

It's definitely not one of Nicole Kidmans best, but she does carry it so well for you to stay invested, along with all the other cast as well. The acting is great. The movie starts out pretty slow, a couple of things drag, you don't know what's going on, at some points you're trying to figure out what genre the movie is and then things just really start to unravel and get better. The cracks start to form. Things begin to escalate and come together. The unusual soundtrack, along with its strange cinematography, makes you feel like you're on this "high on life" and trip on acid.

Basically, the movie is a slow burn. It didn't leave me disappointed nor satisfied. It just will leave you in a state of "Okay...what did I just watch??" It's just one of those movies. Think Midsommar blended in with Scream. That's Holland. Not amazing, not bad, but weirdly interesting!

During the first hour everything was normal, but then the story picked up and I was hooked. Exceptional performance by Matthew Macfadyen especially. Love everything he does. An incredible actor.

Nicole was fantastic. I throughly enjoyed the movie.

Went in with low expectation, came out smiling.

I really enjoyed not knowing where the story was taking me. Very light and comedic tones for most of the film and then it takes a sharp turn with horror elements. Needless to say, I had a fun time with this.

One of those films where by the twist at the end, and thereby the conclusion, I said to myself, "Is that really it?"

Nicole Kidman's back - relentless, polished, always just a little haunted. At this point, she's less of an actress and more of a presence. You don't stumble upon her work; it finds you. And when you add Matthew Macfadyen - yes, that Mr. Wamsgams - it starts to feel like a can't-miss setup. Two heavyweights, one glossy thriller, and the promise of a slow unravel.

"Holland" opens strong. A sense of dread humming beneath its surface, the kind of menace that hides behind manicured lawns and calm morning coffees. It echoes "Nightbitch" - Amy Adams's descent into the quiet madness of domestic life - the same themes of women simmering in boredom, choking on the sterile routines they've been sold.

But then it slips.

What could've been sharp and unsettling buckles under the weight of its own ambition. The twist - if you can call it that - lands with a thud. Not clever. Not earned. Just... tired. And what followed, in those last 10, maybe 15 minutes? A mess. The kind that doesn't just spoil the end - it undoes everything that came before.

A wasted potential. And in a story like this, that's the real crime.

I read the original Black List script for this film years ago. It was cool, and the concept was a unique one for sure. But the director just didn't pull it off this time. No offense to Mimi Cave, I'm sure this was just the wrong material for her, but I've *heard* that, even though she's not credited as a writer, she got in there and messed around the with the very script that made this potentially special. Of course it coulda been the producers meddling in places they shouldn't have...who knows, I wasn't there. But it definitely, like so many other films, at least brings up the point that directors should sometimes just let themselves be directors. You don't HAVE to be a writer/director, but I'm sure the problem is that it's an ego thing, and that directors proclaim that they can write, just because they're creative in other ways... But I hope more directors will follow Scorcese, Spielberg, etc etc and stick to what they're good at and let the writers handle the writing/story/characters.