Dennis van Rita (2006)
AKA: Love Belongs to Everyone
Directed by: Hilde Van Mieghem
Starring: Els Dottermans (Rita), Matthias Schoenaerts (Dennis), Veerle Baetens (Barbara), Damiaan De Schrijver (Andre), Tom Van Dyck (Thomas), June Voeten (Jasmijn), Maaike Neuville (Delphine), Lauren Muller (Girl at station)
Country: Belgium; Effed Up European Films
Language: Flemish, Dutch (Eng Subs); Effed Up Belgian Cinema
Runtime: 01:20:42
Genres: Mental Illness
Spoilers:
Rita is excited her son Dennis is coming home early after 2 years in jail for rape. Dad doesn’t share her enthusiasm and is concerned about how the neighborhood will respond. Dennis being a bit slow, Dad is also unsure how they’re going to control the boy’s impulses since Dennis can only understand black/white rules – so for example, soon after returning, he’s found masturbating outside a play-area and justifies it saying the rule was, he was not to touch the girls.
This plays out like a TV movie and is effed up mostly because of some surprising behaviour that some would call extreme humanity. Dennis raped the second girl because she was warm. What if he finds the little girl warm? Maybe Dad who is painted as being the dumb one of the lot, was infact the smartest as he stayed disconnected from his son’s post-prison life by doing mundane homely things like eating or cutting his toenails during moments of the gravest tension.
the funny bits made the movie more realer and i sobbed at end also ;(
As a belgian I’m probably less objective. Never seen the movie but enjoyed it. Surprised that the movie is directed by “Hilde Van Mieghem” who’s actually quite a radical feminist and was recently platforming on a metoo case against one of our best comedians “Bart De Pauw”. (I don’t like her)
Movie has many of Belgian’s best actors of that time. The story presents us with a good confrontation about sexual abuse and how some of the perpetrators who do not always fit in jail. About how society reacts. About the question between revenge and justice, between emotion and intellect.
Tom Van Dyck who once went viral outside Belgium with a sketch that many thought was real ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUado9iEwLA ). He’s a great comedian actor. Especially his role in “Het Eiland” was great, and his parody on journalist “Jambers” in “In de gloria” was also pretty good. (Sketch is not his best)
Matthias Schoenaerts is certainly one of our greater actors. Another f’d up movie he plays the protagonist in is “Rundskop” (Bullhead) 2011. I feel like this movie might one day appear on this site.
Els Dottermans and Veerle Baetens are always nice to see acting, beauties with a brain.
Watching the movie brought a whole range of memories and made me feel 20 years younger for a while. Thanks EFM
@Benny/Timson/genericbitch
How many times will you shit all over the comments, bid goodbye and then return like a little adorable puppy lol
complete waste of time snoozefest
Well like any website, doesn’t take long to find out who the “no-life losers” are here…
awaiting the censors approval
whod have thunk it – admin is a censor – on a shite like this that is the ultimate irony
I would have given this 5 stars if the little girl fell off of Dennis’ shoulders and broke her neck at the end. 3 stars. I found it striking how much Cole looks like Dennis.
found this a little boring
can i request the following
Rita is executed by her son Dennis coming home early after 2 years in jail for stealing grapes. Dad doesn’t share her enthusiasm and is concerned about how the neighborhood will respond. Dennis being a bit slow, Dad is also unsure how they’re going to control the boy’s impulses since Dennis can only understand black rules – so for example, soon after returning, he’s found masticating outside a play-area and justifies it saying the rule was, he was not to touch the swings.
This plays out like a Trans movie and is effed up mostly because of some surprising behaviour that some would call fucking old mother hubbard. Dennis kissed the second girl because she was warm. What if he finds the little girl warm? Maybe Dad who is a painter and dumb, was infact lukes father as he stayed disconnected from his son’s post-prison life by doing mundane homely things like eating or tying his shoelaces during moments of the gravest tension.
Being first is over rated.