There is something about Rundskop (English title: Bullhead) that cuts right to the core of my being. I can understand why some people may not enjoy the film: for some it is a slow moving bore, and to others it ends on a disappointing note. For me, however, I find it to be a beautiful piece of art. Not only is the cinematography well done, but the film itself is written quite well; I found the story compelling, and also tragic in an almost Shakespearean way. As everything unfolded, I didn't find my mind searching for a who, or why, but simply awaited the what- what was going to happen here?
Having seen Matthias Schoenaerts while not knowing who he was in other films, here he commands the screen, and the intensity of his performance is at times suffocating. Jacky is jacked up on steroids and hormones; we find out that it's not simply for lifting weights in vanity, but because of an unfortunate assault he suffered as a young boy at the hands of an older boy. The tragedy of the accident left Jacky a victim without any repercussions against the perpetrator, and a stunted manhood in more than one way. It also separated him from his good boyhood friend who later turns up as a police informant, and accidentally drops back in on Jacky's life, albeit not by choice. Schoenaerts plays an amazingly subdued role at times, and at others he explodes with the ferocity of a man filled with years of built-up sexual frustration crossed with a system brimming with testosterone. The film itself rests on the portrayal of Jacky, but it is lined with a great story about the hormone mafia he comes in contact with. I found Rundskop to be one of the best and most unique crime films I've seen in awhile; also serving as a fine character study of a deeply emotional situation in a troubled man's life. The ending blew me away. Not only did the plot itself end with great intensity, but the final images of Jacky absolutely enthralled me, and I've since rewound the final scenes over and over again to capture that moment where he absolutely implodes while simultaneously exploding. 10 out of 10. Highly recommend to anyone looking to see a different crime film, and a spectacular breakout performance.
Having seen Matthias Schoenaerts while not knowing who he was in other films, here he commands the screen, and the intensity of his performance is at times suffocating. Jacky is jacked up on steroids and hormones; we find out that it's not simply for lifting weights in vanity, but because of an unfortunate assault he suffered as a young boy at the hands of an older boy. The tragedy of the accident left Jacky a victim without any repercussions against the perpetrator, and a stunted manhood in more than one way. It also separated him from his good boyhood friend who later turns up as a police informant, and accidentally drops back in on Jacky's life, albeit not by choice. Schoenaerts plays an amazingly subdued role at times, and at others he explodes with the ferocity of a man filled with years of built-up sexual frustration crossed with a system brimming with testosterone. The film itself rests on the portrayal of Jacky, but it is lined with a great story about the hormone mafia he comes in contact with. I found Rundskop to be one of the best and most unique crime films I've seen in awhile; also serving as a fine character study of a deeply emotional situation in a troubled man's life. The ending blew me away. Not only did the plot itself end with great intensity, but the final images of Jacky absolutely enthralled me, and I've since rewound the final scenes over and over again to capture that moment where he absolutely implodes while simultaneously exploding. 10 out of 10. Highly recommend to anyone looking to see a different crime film, and a spectacular breakout performance.