Directed and written by Martin Koolhoven, AmnesiA is the story of two A's: Alex and Aram (both played by Fedja van Huêt) and their attempts at reconnecting as they attempt to care for their elderly, dying, constantly drunk and frequently hilarious mother (Sacha Bulthuis). That sounds like anything but something I'd usually want to watch, except that there's also the suicide of their father which has been a point of secrecy and contention for years, as well as the constant power games that Alex unleashes on Aram, including turning his girlfriend Sandra (Carice van Houten) against him. Oh yeah. She's also a pyromaniac who just appeared in his car one day.
At the same time, Aram has come back to the family home with Wouter (Theo Maassen), a friend who had a crime go wrong and is dying from a bullet to the stomach. This will not help Alex, who can no longer take photographs, as every time he focuses on a subject, he sees the face of a woman who utterly upsets him. One brother is at war with everyone; the other just wants to hide inside himself. There's no way they can agree, get along or make it through life without great tragedy.
Also: This movie has a lot of female urination to the point that you wonder if it's some kind of symbolic thing or it's a Tarantino feet moment.
That said, this is a dark and surreal journey into long-kept family secrets, including a murder in addition to that suicide, and a movie that was meant to be a black comedy, which was lost on audiences, according to the director. Not everything is explained and yet filling in those holes makes this an even more intriguing watch.
Also: Aram's car has the license plate 28IF, just like Paul's on the cover of Abbey Road. He's also barefoot for most of the film, so if I follow the logic that I learned through record album conspiracy theories, he's already dead.
AmnesiA
2001 [DUTCH]
Comedy / Drama / Mystery / Thriller
Plot summary
Alex, a 28 year-old photographer, is no longer able to photograph people, for some mysterious reason. Every time he focuses his camera on someone, the same woman appears in his viewfinder - an image he cannot bear. When his brother Aram, whom he has not seen or spoke to for years, unexpectedly phones him and asks him to come to their parental home because their mother is severely ill and may not have long to live, he panics. The thought of a confrontation with the area where he grew up and the renewed encounter with his family makes him feel nervous. Nevertheless, that evening he leaves for AmnesiA: the estate of his parents, the spot where he spent his youth.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
April 09, 2023 at 08:05 AM
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Great!
The Netherlands does Faulkner
Twin brothers Alex and Aram meet at their family home which has fallen into disrepair since the death of their father. Alex is a plodding photographer with obvious trauma issues while Aram is a low-level mobster. Aram drags his partner in crime to his home and leaves him in his bed instead of seeking medical assistance for the bullet in his belly. Alex and Aram butt heads again and again until Aram's boss arrives to pick up the package Aram stole in the botched robbery. This modern, somewhat Freudian take on Cain and Abel will leave some viewers confused, but those looking for a surreal experience with some outstanding cinematography and color theory will very much enjoy AmnesiA.
IMHO the best Dutch film
Amnesia is probably the best Dutch film I've seen so far, great performances all around (van Huet is absolutely fabulous as both twins) and the movie has a nice buildup of suspense. And I had a great laugh too! My eyes were glued to the screen.
8 out of 10.