Synopsis
An enigmatic vagrant cons himself into the home life of an arrogant upper-class family, turning their lives into a psychological nightmare in the process.
2013 Directed by Alex van Warmerdam
An enigmatic vagrant cons himself into the home life of an arrogant upper-class family, turning their lives into a psychological nightmare in the process.
Camiel Borgman, 該死的中產階級, 玩残玩谢玩到底, 伯格曼, Возмутитель спокойствия, 博格曼, Borgma, Bela, בורגמן, 보그만, Borgmanas
Van Warmerdam is my favourite Dutch director. He makes films that are quintessentially Dutch in their tone and touches upon Dutch sensibilities with confounding and intriguing absurdism.
Borgman is a step away from that in so far that this is a more universally themed film, but it is still imbued in that trademark van Warmerdam style. It is a film that is very difficult to grasp and I feel attempting to make sense of it is missing the point. This is a visually striking mood piece, focused more on conveying a sensation rather than recounting a story.
Borgman is about evil. Evil we, adults, call upon ourselves, invite into our homes, driving our self centred lives. As heavy as this…
On The Road: The Dutch Frontier - Windmills, Bicycles, Decks and Questionable Places
It would appear that no matter how far we travel through the Dutch countries, we will not be able to escape the clutches of evil. This time, we meet a malevolent being in a film that feels like a Dutch version of Parasite (with the house here is almost the same as in that film), but the family is aware, and our invader is not just working-class people seeking to plunder the rich in a social commentary; sadly for them, it is something far more devilish.
The film veers away from the standard crime thriller in favor of a more something psychological, and it does it brilliantly,…
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?
Me, during Michelle and I's watch of Borgman.
My second Alex van Warmerdam movie (after The Dress) and it's a doozy. A home invasion movie of sorts, but a bizarre one at that. Very cryptic, with a dash of dark absurdist humour. There seems to be a supernatural element to it as well, seeing that the mystery man and his compatriots have a strange hold on people. They are definitely a manipulative force, their motivations remain alien however. The entire thing is entrancing to watch unfold, but also quite puzzling.
There are obvious parallels to Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. It also gives off some serious Yorgos Lanthimos vibes.
Highly recommended.
It is among my favorite genre's "Movies that confuse and confound and leave you musing over its meaning for days"
Evil is always looking for a way in and weakness is that neon entrance sign pointing the way to your soul! Kinda like my sister's dog Lacey, whom knows better than to turn to her owners for frequent tongue lickings and profound bow wow conversation so she searches for that weakness in those whom visit their home! So the running gag is don't look her in the eye's!
You can't look Evil or Lacey in the eye's! It's just that simple! For if you DO it spells complete and utter disaster!
If like me you appreciate the bizarre and absurd and like a good film that puzzles you for days on end then this film is right up your alley!
Jan Bijvoet gave one hell of an amazing performance!
“And they descended upon the earth to strengthen their ranks.”
With the utmost confidence and command, Alex van Warmerdam's Borgman opening scene sunk its hooks in deep and refused to let me go for the remainder of its running time. A Priest and a lynch mob of sorts hunt down a nest of (literal) underground vagrants and send them scampering for safety out of the woods and into palatial suburbia, and from this dizzying and disorienting (and one of the most exhilarating cinematic moments I have experienced of late) set-piece we are flung into the world of the sly and seductive Camiel Borgman.
A film that would seemingly fall into the expanding 'home invasion' subgenre of cinema, Borgman eschews categorization…
I don't want to say too much about Borgman if you're going to watch it, because it's the strange kind of film that's best to go into somewhat cold. I will say though that it's a deeply dark and downright unpleasant work of cinema filled to the brim with enormously flawed and unstable characters that angered me to my very core. Of course, this was the director's intention.
One might think the primary theme of this film is betrayal, but I would argue that the amount of manipulation that this film contains - manipulation sometimes bordering on the point of mind control - overshadows the betrayal and sort of renders it void. There were times when I felt certain characters…
What a crazy movie that hits the ground(actually underground) running and does not care if you can keep up. The only mark of info is the very opening scripture and honestly that doesn't help for this North American audience member but I have to say I was equally reviled and intoxicated with this film with it's dry cinematic style and demeanor. That be said I do wish there was a bridge for more understanding of these individuals and there disruptive nature but I like the dry dark comedic nature with a beautiful muted colour palate in this modernistic home that was also a character. It's absurd but has it's merits though I do struggle with a movie that makes me…
A weirder and darker Parasite, Borgman featured a character with much more evil intentions.
This movie had a really interesting premise and the first five minutes got me hooked instantly. Personally, the opening scene is one of the best of the whole film. Sadly, while the rest of the movie was entertaining, the concepts became a bit redundant and affected the overall pacing. The plot was trying really hard to be cryptic and to leave to the audience to make their own impressions, but I can't help to think that it failed a bit, with an easy scenario and "right in your face" type of dialogue. In my opinion, the acting in Borgman was really odd. Most of the time…
100-word review: Dutch Parasite (I really wonder if Bong Joon-ho has ever watched Borgman) from before Parasite was a thing, but more surreal — and frankly, I like it even better. The acting is your typical wooden, direct, and dramatic Dutch spiel, but that for once fits the tone of the picture, and actually adds to the surreal atmosphere and story at play here (and lead actor Jan Bijvoet's acting, who's Flemish, is an exception anyways). So much to dissect here, so many striking visuals, and so much f**ked up sh*t. Gotta see it to believe it — Alex van Warmerdam is a genius.
I heard Borgman described as if Jean Luc Godard directed a home invasion movie, but then I thought isn't that Funny Games? Idk if that's the best way to describe Borgman, but it's as close as anything I can come up with.
The motives of the characters, much less their full capabilities, will either be intriguing or frustrating to you, depending on your patience with the movie. This film falls into cult horror, and can be named alongside Parasite for its aggressive class intrusion elements, but there is also a supernatural element that is only hinted at, but enough that it can't be denied.
It ultimately felt like a biblical parable through a more subtle indie film lens. With a…
Borgman is a very playful, intriguing and exciting piece of film from the Dutch veteran Alex van Warmerdam (starring in a smaller role as well, as he usually does).
Borgman flings us into the action with a riveting chase between a priest and his lackeys and a group of men hiding underneath the forest soil.
One of these men turn out to be Camiel Borgman.
After Borgman warns his compatriots of the impending danger, himself having barely managed to escape, he enters a fashionable slice of suburbia and tests the inhabitants' will to let an unknown, unkempt man have a bath.
After instigating an altercation with the man of one of the houses, he manages to instill a bit of…