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Doodslag * Pieter Kuijpers (2012)

I mostly wanted to see this film because it is shot in my hometown. Parts in the building that I work in in fact. The local commedian Theo Maassen plays the main part and like he did in “TBS” (of the same director) he does not do bad. The subject of “Doodslag” (meaning ‘manslaughter’) is sadly current, the harassing of aid workers such as policemen and -women, firemen and -women, men and women working on ambulances or behind the desks of hospitals. Usually drunk people think that they can interfere with these people by mocking them, yelling at them or worse. In the film a situation is taken that is less black and white than youths throwing fireworks at firemen, so the film can give more sides to one story. In the opening scenes we see the situations that bring Max, the ambulance driver that is the main character, to his boiling point. In the situation the ambulance drives into a minor scooter accident while they are actually on their way to save a mother giving birth. They do what they see fit, but the youngsters demand another treatment and start to haress the ambulance driver and his young physician. Trying to talk sense to the youngsters things go wrong. Max gets a year in prison (while he saves the mother and child) and after that the real problems start. The film is quite depressive. Max’ action is not ununderstandable, but things should not have gone they way they did. Also the youngsters who lost their friend and brother raise some sympathy, but they go way out of line. Then there is the role of the media twisting and turning the situation just the way they want at that particular time. It is funny to see Eindhoven in a film, but when you know the city, some scenes are a bit odd. In general, there are some scenes which are a bit odd which appears to be the result of shortening. Overall the film may not be extremely good, but it sure managed to set a tone and gives a few things to think about. Hopefully it adds to the ‘debastardisation’ of society.

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