The Happy Housewife (2010)

OK, so I was going to log on and write a decent review of this film, which I saw over the weekend at the European Independent Film Festival, and then I see its listed as a comedy. WHAT?! There was not even an aspect of a joke throughout this film, unless the director had an incredibly sick sense of humour.The film is basically about a happy couple, Lea and Harry, who decide to have a baby after 6 years together (despite Lea not being too enthusiastic about it), anyway, Lea has a terrible time in labour and has to be (as they put it) "ripped from front to back", once they return from the hospital Lea is obviously a changed woman, she seems detached and quiet and pays almost no attention to their newborn son, Junior. Anyway, after the traumatic childbirth, Lea tries to kill their son by suffocating him and hiding him in a box and then happily saying to her husband "its just the two of us now" in the next few scenes she also tries to drown the boy and is tempted to suffocate him in his sleep. Harry then submits her to a mental institution where we find out more about her troubled childhood.I admit that the story has a great plot, the actors do a great job and the story makes a lot of sense, but I cant help but be disappointed with the tacky, happy ending, in which everything is back to normal and they're a happy family once again. Also, there were a lot of aspects in the film, particularly during the childbirth and mental institution scenes which were quite disturbing and uncomfortable to watch, and actually made me feel quite ill.It is a decent film, and if you like the sound of it, i'd give it a watch, although i'm pretty sure I won't be watching it again anytime soon.

Lea, played by Carice van Houten, is a stewardess married to Harry (Waldemar Torenstra) who is in the real estate business. Their life seems to be going well, they live in a nice spacious home and they have a happy marriage that they consume regularly (as shown in the first couple of minutes, keeping with the Dutch tradition). Then they decide to have a child and Lea falls into a postpartum depression...Contrary to what IMDb might say, this is certainly not a comedy. It has some moments which light up the film, but I merely smiled when they were on screen. They were brilliant, yes, but not meant to cause a moment of hysteric laughter, something I associate with the label 'comedy'. I'd much rather label this solely as a drama and romantic film.Carice van Houten, probably Holland's most popular actress of today (and for good reason), has delivered. She is phenomenal in every scene, whether she has to be happy living her perfect, glossed-over life before the baby, or having a difficult birth, or playing an utterly desperate woman. She's so very believable that you can't help but love her character, even though this is a difficult subject and some of her actions would be incomprehensible otherwise. It's the genius of the scriptwriter and Carice's acting that makes you understand and sympathise.Waldemar Torentstra does his job very well, and being unfamiliar with his work I am definitely interested in seeing more of him. However, I don't know if the script asked for this but, I'd have loved to have him be a bit more extreme in some scenes. I feel like he's been holding back, and while I'm not sure if he's been asked to do so by the director I think it would have been a good decision to completely let go in some scenes, giving the film that little extra push. Having said that (I don't want to give anything away) maybe this is just a matter of personal preference.Overall, this film gripped me in a way no other Dutch film has done for me so far. Of all films I've seen in my lifetime, this film definitely holds one of the top spots. I was blown away and would recommend it to anyone, whatever language you may speak, just get a DVD with subtitles.

I can't believe that this is listed as a comedy. If this is what Dutch people find humorous, then I think it's safe to say that they have the worst sense of humour in the entire world. There is absolutely NOTHING funny about this film, even as a dark comedy. Sorry, but I don't think that trying to kill a baby is funny and I have a pretty f*cking twisted sense of humour. Not to mention that the main character of this film is an annoying, racist b*tch and completely unlikeable at that. In fact, all of the characters in this film are equally unlikeable and annoying. I'm not going to tell you not to watch this, but I am going to tell you not to make the mistake that I did and go into this expecting to laugh. You will not laugh. Unless of course, you're Dutch. Then I don't know, maybe you'll laugh.

An awful product.Barely watchable...the acting and directing is well.... it makes you shiver for how low the quality is .Un-be-lie-va-ble. Here in the Lowlands from time to time we have a period inwich almost every 'important 'dutch-cinema Moloch features the same cast of leading lady's..now it's time for dutch 'darling 'Carice van Houten '..this meagerly talented 'actress appears in almost every dutch thing that hits the cinema kartel....but this film scripted after a book from 'journalist 'heleen van Rooijen gave her the change to portray the worst acting achievement in years ! only maybe surpassed by her male counterpart... summary: script: midiocre-story non-interestingly portrayed - acting the worst for years to come.Non of the characters are real & alive..only awfully and superficially constructed clichés.... How can anyone take this product seriously...luckily i don't and thus had a fun time watching it !!!