The Girl and Death (2012)

one of films with status of trip. because it is a large, complex, precise map. to one of the most popular themes of Medieval Germany. to an art gallery. to the Romantic stories about impossible love. to the admirable Russian dramas. to the Flemish paintings. to the delicacy of beauty and known tragedies who are mile stones of history. a film for feel more than for understand. this is its virtue. and its sin. because it is one of films who, in precise manner, selects its audience. that is all. and the motif to say, after its end, only - it is a beautiful film. but....

"Het Meisje en de Dood" is a Dutch movie from 3 years ago written and directed by Jos Stelling. It crosses the 2-hour mark, but unfortunately it cannot deliver enough material to make these 125 minutes really worth a watch. This is especially a shame as I really liked Sylvia Hoeks in "The Best Offer" and Didi Hallervorden is also an actor that I quite approve of. Russian actor Leonid Bichevin plays the male lead, but I don't know him and I also did not find him very memorable in here. Same goes for Hoeks. Hallervorden, on the other hand,, did a fine job with the mediocre material he was given here. Maybe it helps that he only has a handful scenes and is a supporting player who does not have to carry the movie. Still, the scene near the end where he has that heavy makeup on is really the lowpoint of this film, but that's also not his fault really. Another negative aspect here is that I personally did no really get emotionally involved with the characters or the story. The male central character I actually found rather unlikeable. All in all, this is not a great film by any means unfortunately. I recommend the Hoeks movie I saw before where she also plays a somewhat mysterious character, but that film has a brilliant lead performance by Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush and also a much better script. "Het Meisje en de Dood" could have needed improvement in both areas. Not recommended.

One of the saddest movies I've ever watched.. but beautiful!! Love story a bit like Anna Karenina! Obsession, drama and impossible love!! Cried a lot with this movie!! I didn't know the actors but I was actually impressed with both "Elisa" and "Nicolai", all characters with a powerful way of expressing themselves even without words! Strong movie even though by the title and even the beginning of the movie already tells you the end of it. I always enjoyed this kind of movies, tragic and obsessed love and if you also are a fan of this kind of films you should definitely watch this one, just prepare some tissues ;))

This movie is a piece of art that i keep coming back to. I must admit that i admire Stellings work, his unique decaded, mortally overwhelming story- telling. There is something so haunting and eyrie about this love story. The emptiness and grayness of the sheltered box in which Stelling places his characters amplifies their emotions and ties, creating a turmoil of beautiful, almost still-like pictures of an unfortunate lovers. Stellings minimalism in story telling and carfully detailed frames gives unique realism to somewhat overused plot. Hoeks delivers a great performance of believable innocence, tortured by "Stellings time" ,that is painstakingly crushing her.