Review Spoke: a dark drama with Tim Douwsma

Starting tomorrow is the new Dutch american drama Spoke to see on the white cloth. With the tragedy Tim Douwsma his first starring role in a feature film to tackle, one that he with verve drop it. Curious about what we are further of the film was? Click here to read our review!

In Spoke creeps Tim Douwsma in the skin of Luuk Meijer, a baalwielrenner and scheikundestudent who does not love a little coke. After his cycling career, a hefty dent is injured, he collapses fully on his self-made drugs. Luuk will get the tip to his ‘black bitches’ to Scandinavia, to smuggle. That failed: the cyclist ends up in a Swedish cell, but know with the help of his fellow prisoner Jurgen (Jack Wouterse) to escape. Once in the Netherlands, he takes his bike back on and wins one after the other competition, but coach Dieter (Aart Staartjes) recommends him to his punishment. So can Luuk then participate in the Olympic Games. The only question is whether the baanwielrenner that looks sit.

Disappointment

Spoke is an atypical Dutch film. This time it’s not a cliché romantic comedy, but a dark drama based on the true story of cyclist Paul Red. The show is in the first few minutes immediately put: Luuk fast it goes down during a major contest, and his father may not give him heavens or (“Your whole life is a headwind’ / You’re a disappointment to your family’), a storyline that is, unfortunately, little depth. But this is not a reason to quit, because the film is not a moment boring. The viewer gets no lengthy dialogues thrown at you, but scenes that smoothly flow into each other.

Father figure

For his role got Tim the Ziggo Best Acting Talent Award. Rightly so, because he put the cokesnuivende ‘good guy’ Luuk convincing down. But the loudest applause is for Aart Staartjes. The actor is still often associated with his role as the grumpy “mr. Aart’ from sesame street, but in Speech , this is character created in no fields or roads to be seen. Tails moves with it all. We see a former professional cyclist who, in spite Luuks stupidity – in his pupil continues to believe, and for him as a father figure occurs, for lack of a real caring father.

No chemistry

The film harvest is not only praise. Valerie Pos has with her 21 years, quite a number of actingskills in the bag, but in Speech comes not from the paint as the worried Angela, who secretly have a crush on her best friend Luuk. Unfortunately, it lacks the chemistry between the actress and her opponent Tim, making their intimate friendship and a possible romance is hard to believe. Other situations are not at all credible: why should Luuk and Jurgen in the prison, for example, without monitoring training? How to know Angela where Luuks ex Vanessa lives, while the two together don’t seem to know? In addition, you have to stay especially after the final scene – don’t worry, no spoilers – with a number of important questions that you would like answered had want to see.

Despite these minor considerations is Spoke certainly a cinema ticket is worth. In the drama, film director Steven de Jong is a fine film delivered, all of which will, ultimately, not to the list “Dutch film classics’.

Number of stars: 3,5.