Cloaca (2003)

Four old college friends in their forties come together in a time of trouble and despair. Old joy relives, but the harsh reality of their problems can't satisfy them and eventually endangers their friendships.

Director:

Willem van de Sande Bakhuyzen

Writers:

Maria Goos (play), Maria Goos (screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Blok, Pierre Bokma, Gijs Scholten van Aschat

7 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Blok	...	Tom
Pierre Bokma	...	Pieter
Gijs Scholten van Aschat	...	Joep
Jaap Spijkers	...	Maarten
Elsie de Brauw	...	Conny
Caro Lenssen	...	Laura
Marleen Stolz	...	Helena (as Marleen Stoltz)
Eric Schneider	...	Brest
Genio de Groot	...	Jacques Vermeulen
Marcel Hensema	...	Lighting designer
Jeroen Spitzenberger	...	Actor in play
Benjamin de Wit	...	Actor in play
Marnix Stassen	...	Percussionist
Dianne Krijnen	...	Colleague
Iwan Walhain	...	Drug courier on moped

Storyline

The relationship of four old college friends in trouble is renewed when they get dependent on each other. Pieter doesn't want to give back eight valuable paintings he took from the art depot of the municipality for each year as a birthday present. To help him, he requests the help from Tom, once a lawyer, but now a drug addict. Politician Joep, quarrelling with his wife and in the race for becoming a member of the Dutch cabinet, is hiding at Pieter's place. Joep's daughter is actress in a play of stage director Maarten. Secretly Maarten is having sex with her and he is looking for an opportunity to tell. For some time the friendship of the four is revived, but are they willing to go through fire and water for one another?

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Plot Keywords:

friendship | college friend | stage | sex | painting | 

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Genres:

Drama | Comedy

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is based on the successful stage play with the same name, also written by Maria Goos. The four main actors are the same as in the theatre version.

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Quotes

Pieter: I rather, to be honest, want to select something from the nil-depot. That is a cellar under the town-hall where all the more or less written of art is stored. Most is garbage. 800 square metres full of uglyness, that really is bad Tom.

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Connections

Featured in De wereld draait door: Episode #10.11 (2014)

User Reviews

Splendid acting? Hmpf...

It's been a while since I saw this film, but the one thing I remember best is the fact I was so unimpressed by the acting. While I was still living in Holland, a friend of the family said: 'if you want to see the creme de la creme of Dutch acting, rent this film!' So I did and I wasn't impressed in the least by the unconvincing Dutch actors. Seeing British and (fair enough) a few American actors on screen, you believe they are the people they're portraying. But in this film, I'm sad to say, I had the feeling that the four main actors were very uncomfortable, undoubtedly did their best, but the outcome is nothing much... If you like arty films and are a fan of any of the actors, go and rent it... But if you really want to see a good Dutch film, rent 'Van God Los'. That was far better than this, (this was, to sum up: a rather weak effort to make it feel like a good film). and based on real events.

Details

Official Sites:

A-Film [Netherlands] official site [Netherlands]

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch Russian English

Release Date:

23 October 2003 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Cloaca - Alte Freunde

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,021,317

Company Credits

Production Co:

IDTV Film, AVRO Television, CoBo Fonds

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1