Rendez-Vous (2015) Reviews

• mildly entertaining

  ematerso2017-05-30

  If you enjoy watching HGTV remodeling shows, like watching attractive looking people, enjoy different cultures you will get some enjoyment from this. If you are impatient with implausible behaviors, not accepting of plot holes and think "can cultural norms really be this different?" you will have more difficulty liking this film. Since when it is an owners responsibility to provide a meal for workers? Why would a couple fall under the sway of someone who is obviously a con man, so easily? Why would the person who holds the purse strings open them for their mate at the behest of the con man? Why would a woman submit so easily to a cheap sexual relationship when her own mother deserted her for the same reason? When we know the heroine is the recipient of her mothers property + a sizable amount of cash, why is there no explanation of her sisters inheritance from their mother? Or lack of? When a tragic accident occurs why would the characters not immediately call in authorities rather than try to cover up something that is immediately understandable?

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• Dutch horror in France

  wvisser-leusden2015-11-02

  'Rendez-vous' (= French for 'meeting') is based on a novel of Esther Verhoef, one of Holland's top selling thriller-writers in books. And happily Verhoef's very capable story-telling shows in the film. Telling us a pretty Dutch plot: not very refined or sophisticated, but surely tensely and loaded with human drama. And ending in a very surprising & unexpected way. Verhoef also connects with a well-known Dutch practice: a Dutch couple that rebuilds an old & badly looking French farmhouse in a guest house. In the Dutch mind an idea like this has a somewhat romantic aura, inspiring quite a number of Holland's citizens to emigrate to France ..... however, as both Holland and France are in the European Union, emigration is hardly a suitable word to express their moving over. Anyway, 'Rendez-vous' shows a tension that keeps you watching from beginning to end -- provided you are prepared to accept its typical, somewhat edgy & blunt Dutch story. All the way accompanied by a picturing that is good without being brilliant.

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• Pedestrian and underwhelming

  Phil_Chester2018-10-13

  Utterly pedestrian and underwhelming. Completely by-the-numbers in all respects. Not entertaining at all. Nice to look at, with a pretty location, but that's pretty much all it has going for it.

• ..maybe in France..

  bjarias2017-05-04

  OK, couple spoilers. Yea, ya got two beautiful children, and a loving (yet inattentive, clueless) husband.. and you're frustrated with the house renovation project. And then, there's this very good looking young hulk constantly stalking nearby, tantilizing you.. giving off sex-pheromones, and touchy-feelies. And you're beautiful but undoubtedly shallow, so it's just tooo much that you're running into this guy like every five minutes of every day (eatin meals together to boot).. and so you yield to temptation, and jump his bones over and over again. Of course without the forethought of using 'protection'.. and surprise, surprise, you get yourself knocked-up. And just how many weeks is it before you start throwing up.. maybe couple months? She's so sure it's the lover's kid.. so it has to be she's not having sex with the husband (why she's lying in bed each night, staring at the ceiling, thinking bout hooking-up with you-know-who). Or, she uses protection with one and not the other? In addition, comes all the other messes associated with creepy-greedy-grandpa. And then at the very end, there are no.. I'm so sorry for the crap-storm I've unleashed on you and the children dear. Just some sideways glances, and a look and tummy rub that seems like your sayin.. I'm really lookin forward to the day when your daddy gets released from prison (for his taking the blame for my killing gramps).. and we can go at it like 'happy-rabbits' once again (this time up in the big-mansion). And surrogate, passionless, doormat dad is left to endure the perpetual reminder of her betrayal (and the specter of his future abandonment). It had to look sooo much better on paper. The cast is pretty solid, can't so much fault them. It's an awkward script that creates most all issues. They really did not do a good enough job selling the idea how she would so quickly and eagerly toss away life with her family.. all just for lusty sex with a young but total stranger? Albeit really great sex.. and now that pita dad is out of the way.. the son is presumably heir apparent to the business.. and a partner along with them in all those bungalows. As well as father to her third child.. who he vehemently insisted she not 'get-rid-of'.. (explaning all this to the half-sister and brother should prove daunting). Like gramps told them both.. "you are going to become a member of the family." And true, her look at the very end as she thinks of her passionate love (and their unborn child) there comes across her face that sly satisfying smile. Then as she turns and looks towards her husband, her expression changes dramatically to one of solemn resignation. That more than anything is telling what the future holds. The deep inner rush of excitement stemming from sexual passion is near impossible to distance oneself from, especially in her case. Remember when she was at the kitchen sink reliving every moment of their first intense physical encounter (all the while looking at her children right outside)... and then the way she tells him 'we have to stop this'.. at the same time practically sucking his face off. She's now fully addicted, he's her drug, and she needs ravaging again and again, and she'll sacrifice pretty much everything to have him. Sure, she regrets what she's doing to her family, but not enough to prevent it from happening.. she's well past that point. Keeping her distance is just not a tenable option.. passion rules, and wholly consumes her. A sequel could help clarify the future.. but most of this girl's choices would more than likely be dooming her... no matter how attractive she looks. And BTW... besides being exceedingly alluring.. LH has serious acting talent, in addition to a captivating singing voice. Search out her several youtube music videos, and a couple that are on her website.

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• 100% gloomy therefor unpleasant to watch.

  rds_12015-11-28

  I gave it a go, I thought it might be similar to Timboektoe which was pretty entertaining. But no it was once again this dark dramatic crap most dutch movies feature. As if acting has to be all strong emotions all the time. Anyway the result an entire movie of awkward tension. I don't see how anyone can enjoy watching such a thing. Then there is the standard bad acting going on, mostly because of the as per usual unrealistic scripting full of sentences people rarely actually say in real life. So this family moves to France in an effort to save the marriage although this only becomes clear later on in the movie as it starts out more like they were seeking adventure. Making it very odd how willing the wife is to entertain flirtations with one of the workers they hire to rebuild the decaying house she inherited from her mom (who didn't raise her). Then there is the one other dutch guy in the village who just happens to find the daughter when she disappears (ran of to the toys department) wile shopping. This whole character is so weird. The bad acting doesn't help either. Anyway lots of gloominess. Long (boring) story short, unhappy wife sleeps with hired worker, gets pregnant, turns out he is the son of the weird dutch guy, tensions rise, the weird guy gets pushed, falls, hits his head and dies, son takes the blame.

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