Martin Lewison (milst1)
I think I'm the first American to comment on this film. I live in Den Haag and I picked up the DVD at Media Markt. I speak some Dutch and I'm interested in where Dutch film is going. The DVD cover has Kim van Kooten slung over Michiel Huisman's shoulder in NYC (my hometown) and it says "De Nederlandse Bioscoophit" and "Winner van 4 Gouden Kalveren" is on the back. I've heard of author Ronald Giphart and I've always wanted to see "Zusje", which never got much distribution back in the States. So here was my chance to have it all.I agree with a lot of comments on here already. The film is too cutesy for its own good and Phileine's talking directly to the camera is the kind of device that's been used in American TV for at least the last 10 years, so it seems old and cliché. Yes, I thought the film was very sexy and it's too bad I'm not 16 years old anymore. I can see why van Kooten is something of a star, but her face is too mature and her bearing is too sophisticated to play a 20-something wild woman. I hope she's getting better roles than this one.I haven't read the book, but the Phileine character is extremely unsympathetic. You don't really care if she's unhappy b/c she's such a bitch. She's just pushy and mean and it's hard to believe her heart is broken by Max's rejection. What kind of person screams in a theater during a play, or steals the stage at an AIDS benefit to send a message to her bf? Someone who is entirely too self-absorbed, that's who.And so much for U.S.-Dutch relations. Phileine speaks a lot of Dutch when she's in New York, even in direct response to English conversation. The natives haven't spoken Dutch in Manhattan for a long time. I understand why this is in here, because the audience is mainly Dutch, but it comes off as very nasty. Maybe that's the point, I guess. I know a few mean and nasty Dutch girls and there is a certain charm. And yes, some American men can be assholes, but I don't think it's because they're American.And for the filmmaker: If you have American characters, use American actors. I can hear a Dutch accent a mile away and it destroys the illusion. It happened about 10 times in this film it really put me off.I guess I paid about €7 or so. I don't feel ripped off, but I need to watch the director's commentary to get my money's worth.Thanks for putting English subtitles on this DVD!
TheOtherFool
At times, I'm proud to be a Dutchman. I admit it. Then, there are other times, when I feel quite ashamed. Funny thing that mostly happens after watching a Dutch movie.I can live with the shortcomings the Dutch film-industry has, like little money and few actors to carry a movie. But that is not an excuse for the complete and utter garbage Phileine Zegt Sorry is.The first thing that went wrong is that the movie is based on a book by Ronald Giphart. Now, I don't think anybody above the age of 16 that has a good pair of brains appreciates his work. So why make a movie based on one of his books? 'Ik ook van Jou' was crap as well, so why go for yet another one?Even the combination of Westdijk and Van Kooten (which worked well in Zusje) can't make this waste of time, money and tape work, as the story is stupid, the characters not believable and the ending one of the worst in movie history (oh my, she said sorry!).Everything sucks, from the 'mother who has sex in her daugthers bed with 4 guys at the same time', through the 'robbing When Harry Met Sally thing' right until the Dutch actors playing Americans, and making a crappy job of it. Stupid beyond belief. Now here's the best part: this movie actually won several awards in Holland. Dutch cinema must be dead. Get me out of here!1/10 and a place in my bottom 10.
DeJaVu3
In stead of what some people say about this movie, I think it is one of the best Dutch movies nowadays. The special effects are good for a movie from Holland. I don't know if the movie is better than the book, 'cause I didn't read it. But I heard from some friends that the film was better, and even the writer said it in the movie.I really enjoyed this movie, it was fun. OK, like the most dutch movies, there is some nudity indeed. That's a pitty...
Phyton
'Phileine zegt sorry' is an adaptation of a Ronald Giphart novel (he's in the film, praising the film as better than the book). His novels are notorious for sexual explicitness, humor and lightness of tone. The film manages to capture this tone. This makes it an entertaining film with Ally MacBeal-like effects to emphasize the emotions of the lead character (Phileine). The cosmopolitan attitude of the characters, the sexual explicitness and the place of action (New York) gives it a Sex and the City touch. So the atmosphere is OK. However the film just doesn't give enough story to make it great. In the book this lack isn't a problem, however film is (as we all know) a different medium. The story line is too thin and sometimes not very credible. This is also due to the the low level performance of some the actors (especially the 'American' characters). Kim van Kooten however gives a superb performance and is a good enough reason to go and see it.So 'Phileine zegt sorry' is not a memorable meal but a nice expensive snack.
