Mazzo
This is a very good movie where characters are crossed by different determinations. During the second world war, we used to see some key groups in interaction: Allies countries, Resistance groups and German troops. Most of the second war films present these groups with fixed roles and expected behaviors. This film screenplay keeps us hunting who are the traitor of dutch resistance. At the same time, the main actress plays a resistance's spy who fell in love by a German captain. Beyond that, a German lieutenant is a robbery scheme chief that steals the money and belongings of Jewish upper-class people who pays to leave Netherlands. The main characters are shaped in a complex way grabbing the attention til the end. In short, a clever second world war film.
Tejasvi Hegde
Honestly, I did not expected the movie be so good.Thought it is just another military and spy story.Looking at the ratings, thought to give a try and glad that I came across this movie.The never ending unfortunate story of Jews is very well narrated.All actors act carried out their role very well.Carice van Houten is one of the finest actor around.Sebastian Koch is elegant as always.Movie keeps you glued to the seat.One of the movie to watch
smranch
I had no idea this gem was hiding out there for 8 years. This is definitely one of the best movies I've ever seen. The casting was brilliant, the screenplay was a constant twist and turn, and Carice Van Houten is a superb actress. She uses her eyes better than just about any actress I can remember. In this film, she has a zest and spontaneity that are rare. Sebastian Koch is a great leading man.Besides the excellent acting throughout (even the children do a great job), the best part is that this film simply shouts "authentic;" the Dutch know their subject, having lived through the terror, but Hollywood directors don't seem to know what WWII was all about. The day before I saw "Black Book," I saw "Monuments Men," which was cardboard and seemed almost a caricature of the actual events. Hollywood has lost the bubble and Dutch filmmakers have found it. I'll be looking for more great films from the Netherlands.
Rameshwar IN
Wonder how this stayed under my radar for so long while having so many things in excess - runtime, dramatization, graphic content be it sex or violence, production values, contriving, the number of characters and tragically failed missions. But what was hard to believe was the text that said in the beginning - based on real life events. Were they just referring to WWII in the backdrop? Though Carice van Houten gives her best shot, this multidimensional dream character was never converted to an Oscar vehicle.Backdrop is Denmark has come under Nazi rule and Jews are fleeing the country. Carice van Houten (Rachel Stein) is a Jew living in hiding. When her hideout is blown, she tries to make a run out of the country. She gets together with her family and gets on a boat. Rachel alone escapes a ruthless slaughter when a German patrol boat intercepts them. After she smuggles herself back into the city helped by a resistance group, she decides to fight for their cause. Her role is to setup a honey trap to a German Captain and assumes a new identity as Ellis de Vries.Carice van Houten fits the role perfectly upon her looks where she has to be equally cute, sexy and generous on nudity. Production values were extravagant for bringing an authentic feel to the period. With too many melodramatic moments and a highly commercial approach to presentation has not done enough justice to live up to the words in the beginning 'Based on real life events'. The resistance group is full of caricature characters you will find in any sort of group - an aggressor, a thinker, a comedian, a guilt driven paranoid etc. The dilemmas, perspectives and consequences that happen on the immediate aftermath of German surrender to the Allied Forces has never been dealt before - that too this period is not just a commentary based factual display but a proper thriller thread is induced here. Background score found wanting of elevation at certain moments, the action sequences look dated for its time.Seduce you through sex, violence and drama
AD
