WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Breaking up is hard. Period. When YOU are the one who got dumped, it makes it even harder, upsetting the heart and soul, sending us spiraling if we’d put so much of ourselves into the bond only to now have it unceremoniously handed back to us. While this is an all-too-common facet of trying to find the person we want to love WITH everything we have, it doesn’t lessen how hard it hits when things just don’t work out. Now, it is how we do or do not bounce back that becomes imperative. For mild-mannered “everyman” Theo (Jack Copland), this is what he’s encountering, having taken flight to Holland and his grandparent’s (Bep and Jan Broekkamp) to face his current heartbreak. Upon unexpectedly meeting a beautiful young woman named Beatrix (Yasmin Behar) while walking the local seashore and sand dunes for solace, he embarks on a fanciful day in Amsterdam with her, with an outcome that will astound everyone involved.
Next, my Mind:
“Sur-prise! Sur-prise! Sur-prise!” While this chain of words and the witty quote it represents, made famous by Jim Nabors as Mayberry’s favorite former US Marine turned sheriff’s deputy PFC Gomer Pyle on “The Andy Griffith Show” which was completely played for charming levity, we as human beings aren’t always ready (or possess the willingness!) to be on the positive side of things that take us unawares or out of the blue. We invest in what we believe in, looking to it as something to treasure, nurture, see grow, and become a major aspect of our life IN a good way. Yet, when circumstances drastically alter, and said investment suddenly gets revealed as a totally different thing, yeah, NOT a fun curveball to be hit by. It is this foundational notion that ultimately forms the cornerstone of the new 7-minute indie short film from writer/director/producer Jack Copland that carries itself with more intended dramatic weight sprinkled with moments of mirth.
Centered on a young man having just faced a heartrending breakup traveling to his grandparent’s homeland of Holland to escape and ideally discover solace only to come into contact with an enigmatic Dutch woman that sweeps him off his feet, the film is a shining example of precisely how to effectively pack maximum purpose AND delightful entertainment into a seriously abrupt timeframe, doing so intelligently and with that (for this critic consistently anyway) constant narrative and character-driven atmosphere indie cinema so often provides that’s filled with relatability and grounded credibility that here culminates in a fantastically jarring, undeniably hilarious, beautifully crafted finale that punches you square in the face. It’s brilliant! And as just mentioned, it is the mix OF both affecting seriousness AND the mildly comedic undertones that allow this formula to work so deftly, delivering that aforementioned impact that captures you unabashedly.
What I then appreciate so much here is also another “once more/yet again” facet of what indie film is so adept at, which is to take its primary focus but then expand beyond it to what’s boiling under the surface, thematically here covering everything from break-ups and the associated emotional baggage that comes with it, our need to liberate our heart, mind, and soul from the pain, our means of coping with difficulty, the strength of familial connections as a source of comfort, seeking understanding of why things have gone the way they have, being open to the unexpected (explored in several ways here, with decidedly varied outcomes!), the wonder of re-connecting with your home culture/roots, seeing things fresh through someone else’s eyes, and having the elation of new attraction’s excitement. All of this lends such an overtly HUMAN element to events and only makes the film’s intent all the more engaging from start to finish. We FEEL it!!
Additionally, the imagery of the Dutch coastline and the incontrovertible beauty of Amsterdam shine through wonderfully. Even the nice little play on the film’s title phrase “going Dutch” is nicely clever, here literally an ode to one’s actual ancestry/legacy as opposed to the traditional use we’re accustomed to hearing that indicates people paying separately or splitting the cost while out at a restaurant or other entertainment activity. Copland, who is another director choosing to step out from behind the camera and act in front of it, delivers us a character so worth investing in and empathizing with through his lead role as Theo, a man suffering in the throes of heartache thanks to an apparent, and most likely ugly, breakup back home in the States who has decided to travel to his grandparent’s home in Holland to find peace and recovery.
Given advice by his beloved Opa and Oma to venture to the seaside sand dunes known for their quality of reprieve they bring to hurting souls, Theo takes them up on it and subsequently ends up meeting a mysterious and beautiful woman whom he ends up traveling with to Amsterdam, not only enjoying the company, but forming an unforeseen and growing bond with her that’s a balm for his pain. What the final outcome of the day’s adventure will bring is what remains open, and Copland’s perfectly understated but fervent performance brings to life every ounce of emotive force that the character is facing, with smooth execution of dialogue, body language, and facial expressions to immerse us in the story and be totally rooting for him and his newly found relationship. As is often the case with character-centric emphasis, Behar is an equally potent presence here in a most realistic manner that befits the story’s angles with absolute precision of performance.
In this case, she plays Beatrix, the woman whom interacts initially with Theo at the seaside as he’s lamenting and contemplating his situation, and who immediate manages to enrapture him and take him on a journey to Amsterdam where she innocently and endearingly wins his heart as their time together unfolds. The fact she is also a photographer allows her to add another layer to their time, documenting moments for posterity that reflect the bond they’ve gained. Again, it’s a whirlwind romantic build-up, but holds the promise of a possible future. Behar is simply enchanting, naturally, playfully alluring, and wholly believable as Beatrix. It would be hard NOT to fall in love with the character, and that is a testament to Behar’s acting on display here. Bep and Jan Broekkamp (who actually ARE Copland’s real life grandparents! Love it!) exude that with-age-comes-wisdom aura intertwined with some really solid comedic chops that suit the story VERY well.
So, in total, “Going Dutch” is an excellent little indie short film experience that delves into heartbreak, heritage, healing, newfound hope and/or happiness with the smallest (but potent and admittedly witty) degree of shock and awe to present the truth illustrating what happens when, unassumingly mind you, not being fully informed or cognizant about certain things JUST might end up coming back to bite us. Period.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
