New Kids Turbo (2010)

Directed by: Steffen Haars, Flip van der Kuil | 85 minutes | comedy | Actors: Steffen Haars, Flip van der Kuil, Huub Smit, Tim Haars, Wesley van Gaalen, Nicole van Nierop, Ruud Matthijssen, Bart de Rijk, Daan van Dijsseldonk, Rene Eljon, Chung Hwa Chao, Ad van Kempen, Frank Lammers, Hans Teeuwen, Patrick Stoof, Theo Maassen, Jaap Spijkers, Rutger de Bekker, Henry van Loon, Harrie van Rijthoven, DJ Paul Elstak, Jody Bernal, Peter Aerts, Annemieke Aalderink-Bakker

When the first sounds of Luv U More by Paul Elstak blast over the opening scene, the tone is immediately set, and for the entire duration of ‘New Kids Turbo’ you are more of a resident than a spectator in Maaskantje in Brabant. Entirely as expected, the film opens, like so many of the series’ episodes, with Richard and Robbie – the couple’s two greatest friends – working on the now well-known sports field in their village, a decent taste in beer brands and all kinds of standards and values ​​are negligible. One by one, the other retarded friends – Gerrie, Barrie and Rikkert – also turn up, and the plot, or whatever plot must go on, can begin. A film version cannot rely on just a few successful and less successful jokes within a non-existent storyline alone. ‘New Kids Turbo’ therefore presents a situation that offers the rest of the film, through accumulations of improbable escalations, the opportunity to work towards a Flodderian climax that has gotten out of hand. Due to a more or less coincidental coincidence, all five friends lose their jobs in one day. Richard and Robbie are quite rightly accused by their supervisor, a short role by Frank Lammers, of falling short in their work, so they can pack their things. Rikkert is sent home from work by one of many other Brabant contributors (Hans Teeuwen) from the point of view of cost savings, and Barry is also struck by the recession. Finally, Gerrie turns out to be completely incapable of his job when he drills the fork of his forklift into a pallet of televisions without incurring an ounce of guilt.

In addition, the gentlemen do not exactly have their personal affairs in order, so that they are forced to stay together in Richard’s house. There they manage to fill the days with converting benefits into fireworks, bakpao sandwiches and improper stocks of Schültenbrau, until the monthly income turns out not to be enough to maintain that lifestyle. At five they went to the municipality to ask for more money from an unlucky official, which in turn results in them completely forfeiting their entitlement to benefits. And logically decide not to pay for anything anymore. That goes well for a while, but eventually causes them to get into a fight with bailiffs, mustachioed agents, Peter “The Dutch Lumberjack” Aerts, and even the Ministry of Defense and a small army of agents from the Mobile Unit. Indeed, this is where the story starts to show strong similarities to ‘Flodder’. A seemingly unavoidable destination, after an extremely entertaining journey that leads past a lot of absurd, clumsy and downright blunt hilarity – as we are used to from the individual sketches. According to good tradition, few bystanders are safe from the mischief of the five, and in addition to a number of now well-known villagers (“Who is the snack bar here?”) this time also Reinout Oerlemans, Jody Bernal and the good taste of every Brabant and Don’t suffer from Brabant.

“It will come as no surprise to anyone that this film is not going to win an Oscars.” “The story isn’t too strong, and just serves to let the absurd characters play their part.” And of course the quote that already pops up in the trailers: “Nobody touches Maaskantje!” A selection of a number of possible expressions that will appear in reactions and reviews, which actually tell as little as the film itself, let alone add something to your expectations. In the end, it does not all need to be described in detail. And ‘New Kids Turbo’ just works because the series also works, and the film adaptation of Steffen Haars and Flip van der Kuil’s friend project that got out of hand is little more than a series of episodes that have run out of control. That requires the necessary mental delusion, but with a playing time that stays under an hour and a half, it is easy to sustain. And why does the series work? Because sometimes you want nothing more than to look at a bunch of retarded idiots, who in their best accent and with great pleasure and conviction make themselves, each other, and the whole of Brabant immortally ridiculous. Guilty pleasure, dude.