Old Love (2017)

Directed by: Nicole van Kilsdonk | 99 minutes | drama | Actors: Beppie Melissen, Gene Bervoets, Hadewych Minis, Halina Reijn, Eva van der Gucht, Wim Opbrouck, Leo Alkemade, Ali Ben Horsting, Carly Wijs, Aus Greidanus, Claudia Kanne, Marijn Flameling, Sevil Aydin, Ewout Flameling, Margje Wittermans

Beautiful human drama, that’s the kind of film Nicole van Kilsdonk prefers to make. Films in which emotion and entertainment go hand in hand. A film such as ‘When my father became a bush’ (2016), for example, in which she makes it clear in an accessible way what it must be like when you have to leave your house and hearth behind as a child because you are on the run from the violence of war. The film did an excellent job at various foreign (youth film) festivals and won Van Kilsdonk quite a few prizes. In her film ‘Old Love’ (2017) she focuses more on adults rather than children. The well-known proverb is ‘Old love does not rust’, and that is exactly the starting point of this tragicomedy. The leading roles are for the Flemish actor Gene Bervoets, known for ‘De Case Alzheimer’ (2003), ‘The Last Days of Emma Blank’ (2009) and ‘The Renovation’ (2012), and Beppie Melissen, an actress who mainly plays supporting roles in all kinds of (comedy) series and films – for example, she can be seen as the mother and aunt of Martin Morero in ‘Gooische Vrouwen’ – but who also appears to be able to handle heavier themes.

‘Old love’ immediately hits home: while family and friends have organized a surprise party for him and are anxiously waiting for the birthday girl’s return, Roland (Leo Alkemade) drops dead. On his fortieth birthday. The bewilderment and sadness of those left behind is enormous. Roland’s parents, father Fer (Gene Bervoets) and mother Fransje (Beppie Melissen) divorced years ago and have not seen each other since. They both live a new life, with Nathalie (Carly Wijs) and Andries (Aus Greidanus Sr.) respectively, and there is a lot of old soreness, but the fateful accident of their son brings them together again. Old love doesn’t rust, it turns out. Because although they have to get used to each other’s company again, it is also very nice to see each other again. Their two daughters Tess (Halina Reijn) and Hilde (Eva van der Gucht) both react very differently to the fact that their father is back in their lives; While Hilde is happy about the reconnection because she has always quietly hoped that the two would get back together, Tess is bitter about the fact that her father was the great absentee for much of her life, and now suddenly thinks his to reclaim the place. What they do not know is that Fer and Fransje have a lot of fun with each other and secretly meet. When granddaughter Myrthe (Claudia Kanne) catches the two at her father’s grave, Fer and Fransje are forced to play open cards with the rest of the family.

What if two people who have been separated for more than twenty years get back together? Van Kilsdonk and screenwriter Peer Wittenbols play with that fact. A marriage was dissolved, life went on. Children grew up, new relationships were formed. But then the two people from that original marriage reunite. As if time has stood still. But there is no time for that. ‘Old love’ comes with recognizable themes, but does not develop them all equally well. Daughter-in-law Maria (Hadewych Minis) mourns in her own way, but is ignored. Until, at a crucial moment, she suddenly manages to put her finger on the sore spot. Busy daughter Hilde appears to have Borderline Personality Disorder, but other than being pronounced, we don’t notice it much. The subplot surrounding her new job at an animal crematorium, where she hangs out with her boss (Wim Opbrouck), is so lavish that it becomes farcical. In principle we could empathize with Tess the most, were it not for the fact that she is very rambunctious; perhaps because it bothers her that she has not been able to save her own marriage and therefore no hair is better than her parents. The most interesting side character is in fact young Myrthe. Her father has fallen down before her eyes, her mother is completely apathetic in her grief process, her grandfather and grandmother whom she has never seen together suddenly come closer together on her sixteenth birthday and it is she who finally catches them together. As a growing adolescent, try to find your way around it! However, the crowded scenario gives her too little attention; missed opportunity.

‘Old love’ blossoms when we have Bervoets and Melissen all to ourselves, without ‘noise’ from secondary characters. Take away all the soap-like worries surrounding the family and we get to see a beautiful interaction between two people who can’t live with, and really can’t live without each other. When we see them lingering awkwardly around each other on the moor, for example, when they try to explain their emotions and grief at the loss of their son as best as they can. When they muse about where things went wrong in their relationship. Or when they can’t suppress their lust, but seem to have forgotten how things used to be. In this awkward endearment, “Old Love” is at its best. Sometimes you don’t need more than two good actors, the Dutch heath and credible dialogues.