This movie is the adaptation of the book which was my favorite when I was in high school. 'Spijt' was really intense and involving. It was a book written from the perspective of David, a high school student. He witnesses how his overweight classmate (Jochem) is constantly bullied by three classmates. David wants to help the Jochem, but just as his other classmates he is afraid he will receive the same treatment from the bullies. I was always waiting for when they would make a movie about this book. So I was really happy and curious when this became a fact this year.
I'm satisfied with the final result. The acting is solid. More often than not, this is over-the-top in Dutch movies. I like how they developed the character of the major bully. The side-stories from the book are toned down, so the focus stays on the bullying. This resulted also in some deviations from the book, but they didn't bother me. The movie succeeds in being true to the source while embracing the new medium.
There are some flaws though. The movie starts a bit slow and some characters and stories from the book could have been explored more, since they affect the major story line. However, the movie really picks up in the final act, after a dramatic event, after which everything is done right. Furthermore, I suspect that some changes are made compared to the book just for the sake of including some actors in the movie, like Voice Kids winner Fabienne Bergmans. Also, the bullying sometimes seems a bit unrealistic, since the victim is a pretty large guy, who could easily overpower his bullies. Moreover, modern ways of bullying like using social media are not explored.
Even so, the result is still a decent movie. The movie meets its goals. It appeals to its audience and delivers awareness around bullying. The movie is actually part of campaign against bullying. I recommend this movie to fans of the book and to people who have not read the book as well.
