Ever (2008)

Directed by: Jaap van Heusden | 39 minutes | drama, short film | Actors: Barry Atsma, Leny Breederveld, Sanne Vogel, Benja Bruijning, Kuno Bakker

In ‘Ever’ the relationship between Jos (Barry Atsma) and his mother (Leny Breederveld) is central. Jos is thirty-four and lives with his mother in a gallery flat. Jos is mentally handicapped, which means for the mother that she is responsible for his well-being. To simplify life for Jos, the daily schedule is illustrated in a booklet that he hangs around his neck every day. The order of things that everyone else does not think about is thus made clear to him.

Waking up naturally comes naturally; Jos wakes up every day before the alarm that goes off at seven and then turns it off. He puts on his slippers and goes to the bathroom to pee. Mother helps him take off his pajama bottoms from the double bed. It is obvious that it is not easy for the mother to take care of such an adult child. The scene in the shower is typical of this, when Jos’s buttocks wash, he gets an erection (not shown properly) and he is asked to leave the bathroom until ‘it’s over’. The cashier’s beautiful cleavage also has such an effect on Jos: “My pee hurts,” he exclaims in the supermarket. “Jos, don’t,” his embarrassed mother hisses. However, on the boat – with which Jos, wearing a captain’s cap, and his mother take a daily trip, the love between the two jumps off the screen; in any case, everything mother does shows endless patience and above all love.

It is nice to see that despite his handicap Jos still has his own way of thinking. Perhaps the viewer has the idea that he can predict the course of the film, but ‘Ever’ manages to surprise in a way. What is happening is heartbreaking. It has a strong ‘what if’ content, no doubt viewers who also have someone who is so dependent on them will start thinking about a situation they hope they never end up in.

The performance of Barry Atsma and Leny Breederveld is more than sufficient, both actors put in an excellent performance, whereby Atsma in particular stands out, because his role demands it of him, but also knows how to convince Breederveld. ‘Once’ is one of the nine short films included in the third series One Night Stand and because of the great impact of the story certainly one of the better productions. In view of the ‘competition’ that is a great compliment and that is how it is intended.