Vet hard (2005)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Tim Oliehoek

Writers:

Anders Thomas Jensen (screenplay)
Wijo Koek (writer)

Release Date:

3 February 2005 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Bennie, a clumsy criminal who's touchy about his weight, teams up with his adoptive father's biological (serial killer) son...

Plot Keywords:

Fall From Window | Father Son Relationship | Explosion | Shower | Underwater

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jack Wouterse	...	Bennie
Kurt Rogiers	...	Koen Mast
Bracha van Doesburgh	...	Katja Wielaard
Jaak Van Assche	...	Johan Mast
Johnny de Mol	...	Peter
Cas Jansen	...	Martin
Peter Van den Begin	...	Vuk
Ton Kas	...	Milo
Bert André	...	Dr. Van Isacker
Cees Geel	...	Lars Meuleman
Chazia Mourali	...	Nurse Rita
Menno Stijntjes	...	Dr. John
Marjan Luif	...	Bank attendant
Estelle Gullit	...	Jeanette
Sanne Wallis de Vries	...	Jennifer

Also Known As:

Too Fat Too Furious (International: English title)
Volle gas (Belgium: Flemish title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

Netherlands | Belgium | UK

Language:

Dutch | French | Arabic

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:16 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

's-Hertogenbosch, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands

Company:

Fu Works

Trivia:

The movie got a shooting schedule of 40 days instead of the 60 proposed by director Tim Oliehoek.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the chase following the bank robbery, a car crashes into another, causing a small explosion of white smoke. This smoke appears before the cars hit each other.

Quotes:

[Koen talks to Katja in the middle of a car chase; Bennie is driving]
Koen Mast: What's your name?
Katja Wielaard: Katja.
Koen Mast: You said something about a funeral?
Katja Wielaard: That's the funeral of a girl who committed suicide because of a broken heart.
Bennie: [driving] Hello!
Koen Mast: What's that girl's name?
Katja Wielaard: Katja.
Bennie: Could you quit that yapping? I'm trying to concentrate here, okay!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Psycho (1960)

Soundtrack:

Una Paloma Blanca

Far from political correct or subtle but because of that also very entertaining.

This movie is really a breath of fresh. After watching almost nothing else but heavy Dutch period drama's, drama's in particular and war productions, there finally now is a simple, spectacular and entertaining Dutch movie, in the form of "Vet Hard".

The humor in this movie is cruel and violent. Though it's far from subtle all, it still makes you laugh. To be honest, I think you have to be Dutch to fully understand and appreciate the humor of the movie. The movie however does goes a bit too far at times, even for my taste. I mean having one of the main characters being a necrophiliac serial killer just is not my idea of good taste and quality of humor.

The story is simple and almost non-existent. It's just a pile up of gangster movie clichés and over-the-top comical situations. You clearly shouldn't take this movie serious and watch it for what it is. This movie is a real no-brainer that certainly does entertain and give you a good 88 minutes.

As simple as the movie may be, the quality of it is certainly good. The movie is directed with lots of feeling for pace and handles the characters nicely as well. The action sequences are definitely the best elements of the movie. They are superbly choreographed and even brought better to the screen, also with the help of some excellent editing. It makes it obvious that Tom Oliehoek is a great new young action-movie director, who perhaps already is too big for the Netherlands. Of course the quality and size of it all doesn't hold a candle to an average overdone Hollywood blockbuster production. But this has nothing to do with the directing qualities and talent of Tim Oliehoek but more with the low budget, though for Dutch standards this still was a very expensive movie. At least the movie is no 'Hollywood wannabe'. It has quality and style of its own and it gives the movie its very own unique identity.

The acting to be honest surpassed expectations. You normally wouldn't expect quality acting in an action/comedy like this but his movie has some good actors in it, who all did a good job. Jack Wouterse normally doesn't play main characters and in some movies his role is even no more than just a bit part. I already liked him very much as an actor before this movie but I like him even more now. He shows that he can handle bigger roles and that he is capable of carrying an entire movie for most part on his own. Other fine Dutch and Belgian actors also portray some fine other roles. So, Tim Oliehoek is not just a great action director but also one fine actors director. Only thing is that the movie has a bit too many characters with as a result that not every characters works out as fine or comical as the other. The movie is also filled with lots of cameos of famous Dutch celebrities. I was afraid this was going to get an overkill of it but the did a good job at keeping it to a minimum and till a point were it doesn't get ridicules or distracting from the story.

The fact that I rate this movie only a 6 has nothing to do with its entertainment value. It's just as entertaining as some other movies which I rated a 8 in the past, it's just of lesser quality all. But seeing the circumstances (only 40 days of shooting, for many complicated action sequences included, a €3,700,000 budget.) you have to give credit to this movie and its entire cast & crew.

6/10