This film is a real "turn-about". In the world of film production we have a host of amateurs trying to become professionals, but here we have professionals setting themselves the task of creating a look-alike amateur film. And they do it very well. We the audience see all the action through Martijn's view-finder and we see all the faults too - the too-quick panning, out-of-focus shots, scenes which are superfluous, moments of blank film and all the mistakes that every amateur is prone to make. Martijn's camera concentrates on his sister Daantje (Kim van Hooten) for this is the story of her life and Martijn tries to capture it all, even the most intimate and personal moments. Ramon (Roeland Fernhout) persists in attempting to seduce Daantje and demonstrates in close-up how to kiss a girl. Ramon in my opinion runs off with the acting honours in this movie. He projects his personality exceptionally well and is a likeable no-hoper of a character. As for Martijn we see very little of him because most of the time he is behind the camera. Daantje maintains her character as the unco-operative sister. All the youngsters are equally convincing in party mood. I liked especially the ironic ending where the videos end up in a junk sale and Martijn's "masterpiece" will sooner or later be completely taped over. Such is life! As good as this film is, I hasten to add that I hope it does not set a whole host of other movie-makers on the same path. Once is enough! Did I hear someone mention "The Blair Witch Project"?
14 Reviews
Better than expected
DhariaLezin22 October 2017
The subjective camera or found footage has been over-used in the last decade, and I was hesitating to see the movie when it started because almost all the movies I've seen in that format from before 2001, are not successful in many different genres for so many reasons: the script, the genre, making it hard to watch because the camera moves too much, etc. However I decided to give it a go and I didn't regret it. In this case they made it work. All the movie you keep on wondering what happened between the characters when they were kids to make them act like that during the movie, and in my opinion, the relationship between the two main ones (brother and sister) is very well handled, with the ups and downs of painful and beautiful memories from childhood. Sometimes you hate a character, and suddenly you jump hating the one you liked better at the beginning, which I find really hard to do and something very well accomplished. The actors (all of them) are great. The movie touches taboo themes though so if you are weak of heart perhaps this is not going to be the best choice for you. Perhaps if I would have seen it when it was first released I would have given it a 9 but of course times change and it is not as actual as I guess it once was. Still, I would recommend it if you are searching for something different.
I went to sleep that night wishing I had taped the movie.
Domi®24 January 1999
This was one of those films that happened to come on after soccer. Having no homework, watched on like I had no better alternative. But surprise, surprise! I went to sleep that night wishing I had taped the movie. Cleverly shot with solid performances from the cast. One of those films with just about everything in it. Enough to make you laugh or cry, or laugh till you cry. It grabbed my attention such that by the time I realized I still had some ice-cream left in my cup, it was already melted. Truly deserves a run at the bigger markets.
Low-budget gem. Sharply written, original
Camera-Obscura4 February 2007
LITTLE SISTER (Robert-Jan Westdijk - Netherlands 1995).
Hard to tell what makes "Zusje" work so well. The concept of the faux-documentary and the entirely subjective, mostly hand-held camera-work is both highly original and certainly something novel in the Netherlands at the time. Or is it the main role by Kim van Kooten, who is almost permanently on screen. Director Robert Jan Westdijk apparently auditioned over three hundred candidates for the main role, but none of them apparently had the right quality to express a certain kind of innocence when looking directly into the camera (which occurs a lot). After this endless search, Kim van Kooten - in her debut role - came up as first choice and she is a real find. She really is the kind of unpolished natural talent every first-time director dreams of.
Through the subjective camera we're soon part of a voyeuristic and rather uncomfortable journey when we join video-obsessed Martijn (Romijn Coonen with the voice of Hugo Metsers III) who - after a long absence - decides to pay a surprise visit to his younger sister Daantje (Kim van Kooten) on her 20th birthday and starts filming her almost constantly. She is a design student in Amsterdam and seems quite tolerant of her brother's continuous presence while he obsessively intrudes her daily goings-on. Daantje engages in a turbulent relationship with Ramon (Roeland Fernhout) whose initial tolerance of Martijn - now entering his life as well - soon makes place for irritation.
Through frequent flashbacks (grainy footage shot on super-8) we slowly learn some things about Daantje en Martijn's childhood. It becomes apparent that some uncomfortable unresolved issues still stand between them, but it remains unclear what their relationship was like when they were children. The very film we're watching is Martijn's documentary on his sister, but soon the tables are turned when all the footage he shot is stolen and Daantje starts taking some of her own measures to put Martijn in place.
Practically the whole cast and crew was under 30 during shooting and the largely unknown cast of newcomers greatly attributes to the raw and fresh feel of the film. The verité style and dialog of "Zusje" might suggest a lot of improvisation during filming, but Robert-Jan Westdijk and Jos Driessen meticulously worked on the script for years, in order to make the film as authentic as possible. Everything, to the most insignificant details, was carefully prepared.
In the Netherlands, the film was more a kind of cultural phenomenon than it was a huge hit in cinemas, but considering its micro-budget, the 140,000 sold tickets were quite OK. Despite this enthusiastic reception by the critics and public alike, it never really caught on in other countries. The subject matter was probably a little too edgy and uncomfortable for most audiences. Surely the breath of fresh air Dutch cinema needed.
Camera Obscura --- 9/10
Hard to tell what makes "Zusje" work so well. The concept of the faux-documentary and the entirely subjective, mostly hand-held camera-work is both highly original and certainly something novel in the Netherlands at the time. Or is it the main role by Kim van Kooten, who is almost permanently on screen. Director Robert Jan Westdijk apparently auditioned over three hundred candidates for the main role, but none of them apparently had the right quality to express a certain kind of innocence when looking directly into the camera (which occurs a lot). After this endless search, Kim van Kooten - in her debut role - came up as first choice and she is a real find. She really is the kind of unpolished natural talent every first-time director dreams of.
Through the subjective camera we're soon part of a voyeuristic and rather uncomfortable journey when we join video-obsessed Martijn (Romijn Coonen with the voice of Hugo Metsers III) who - after a long absence - decides to pay a surprise visit to his younger sister Daantje (Kim van Kooten) on her 20th birthday and starts filming her almost constantly. She is a design student in Amsterdam and seems quite tolerant of her brother's continuous presence while he obsessively intrudes her daily goings-on. Daantje engages in a turbulent relationship with Ramon (Roeland Fernhout) whose initial tolerance of Martijn - now entering his life as well - soon makes place for irritation.
Through frequent flashbacks (grainy footage shot on super-8) we slowly learn some things about Daantje en Martijn's childhood. It becomes apparent that some uncomfortable unresolved issues still stand between them, but it remains unclear what their relationship was like when they were children. The very film we're watching is Martijn's documentary on his sister, but soon the tables are turned when all the footage he shot is stolen and Daantje starts taking some of her own measures to put Martijn in place.
Practically the whole cast and crew was under 30 during shooting and the largely unknown cast of newcomers greatly attributes to the raw and fresh feel of the film. The verité style and dialog of "Zusje" might suggest a lot of improvisation during filming, but Robert-Jan Westdijk and Jos Driessen meticulously worked on the script for years, in order to make the film as authentic as possible. Everything, to the most insignificant details, was carefully prepared.
In the Netherlands, the film was more a kind of cultural phenomenon than it was a huge hit in cinemas, but considering its micro-budget, the 140,000 sold tickets were quite OK. Despite this enthusiastic reception by the critics and public alike, it never really caught on in other countries. The subject matter was probably a little too edgy and uncomfortable for most audiences. Surely the breath of fresh air Dutch cinema needed.
Camera Obscura --- 9/10
Good debut, but.....
anonymous-328 April 1999
Good debut, but why has Westdijk made a mediocre TV-film, a really bad feature and another TV-film that was embarrassingly bad after this film? This film was good mainly because of the original idea, but it tells very little about the directing skills of Westdijk.
Really interesting drama
magnussang7 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie took me by storm.
This is a great movie about love between siblings.
I loved it and I forgot everything else when I watched it. The theme for the movie is not common, and something like this just catches your attention by it's provocative nature.
The filming is a bit of the Danish Dogma style, since most of the filming is made from the brothers hand-camera, from his point of view. It is all right, it does not disturb me, but rather gives it a documentary feeling.
The script is very nice, and it is not that easy to figure out just what is coming to you.
The acting is also very good. I love the actors. They play well, convincingly, and are charming in a natural way.
I can only recommend this movie to all serious movie-lovers. Movies like this, that not only are not afraid of sensitive themes, but also dare to present them this beautifully, is the reason I love movies.
This is a great movie about love between siblings.
I loved it and I forgot everything else when I watched it. The theme for the movie is not common, and something like this just catches your attention by it's provocative nature.
The filming is a bit of the Danish Dogma style, since most of the filming is made from the brothers hand-camera, from his point of view. It is all right, it does not disturb me, but rather gives it a documentary feeling.
The script is very nice, and it is not that easy to figure out just what is coming to you.
The acting is also very good. I love the actors. They play well, convincingly, and are charming in a natural way.
I can only recommend this movie to all serious movie-lovers. Movies like this, that not only are not afraid of sensitive themes, but also dare to present them this beautifully, is the reason I love movies.
Highly original low-budget movie
wallwach6 May 1999
Here's another proof that the least money new young directors have to create a movie, the more creativity is used to make the best out of it. This brilliant movie -one of the best dutch movies ever- has a highly original way of telling. You are not really looking at a professional movie, but at a director's cut of a bunch of videotapes... You will hardly see the main character...because this guy is the cameraman as well. Have a look at it. It is worth to look at...!
Crap !
Moviespot25 September 2008
Now here we have a really bad pretentious dutch 'artistic'(come on !!!) 'movie' this boring P.O.S is soo revealing as to where it is going... This guy made another dutch classic called 'Philene is sorry' with the same actress , Kim van Kooten ' and that film was maybe worse , but this one comes in close.I Cannot believe that his films are being taken seriously.it is supposed to be a film about a guy filming his sister in video format while he is constantly talking frustrated text into the mic.commenting on his sisters behaviour before the lens. very corny is the transition between scenes in which he shows us some ' noise ' perfectly put into the montage...it is to give you the impression of spontaneousness .This as well is how this product (the film 'zusje') comes to an end.with Noise. Dutch critics , especially' at pretentious film festivals in the lowlands hail these kind of films as very interesting , creative and totally ' now '. It makes you shiver.
An extremely intelligent and complex film.
Attila-518 December 1998
Zusje is one of the most intelligent and fascinating films I have ever seen. The way the story is told, the performances, everything about this film is brilliant. The story is gruesome, tragic, and very unpredictable. It leaves you wondering right up to the final scene about what really happened between Daan and Tijn when they were children, and leaves you with an ending nobody could possibly guess. Shocking and fascinating, a film well worth seeing.
One hit in your face
KuRt-334 October 2001
Kim van Kooten (Daantje) hated for a long time: everybody kept talking to her about that film even though she had starred in other films and had written several screenplays. Well, that's what happens when you play in a film as staggering as 'Zusje' (Little Sister).
Ever since 1996 there have been many films with video or digital cameras, but Zusje manages to keep special. Here the camera is not just a toy, it's a main character (possibly even more the protagonist). The story of a troubled relationship between brother and sister isn't new (and certainly not in a Dutch film), but here the camera forces itself inbetween them as an instrument of Truth. All this gives you a weird feeling watching the movie (you're intruding Daantje's life much more than you want to), but there's a special atmosphere that manages to keep all the viewers watching (even those who saw the film on tv and missed the beginning).
It's difficult to think of a movie that is more "in your face" than Zusje. It's hard not to see Kim van Kooten's talent in this film. It's hard to find a better Dutch film. Robert Jan Westdijk's later attempts at films got less excited reviews, which could remind us of the Orson Welles story. Still, Orson Welles Westdijk ain't and even if Westdijk turns out to be a "one hit wonder", that shouldn't keep you from watching Zusje.
Ever since 1996 there have been many films with video or digital cameras, but Zusje manages to keep special. Here the camera is not just a toy, it's a main character (possibly even more the protagonist). The story of a troubled relationship between brother and sister isn't new (and certainly not in a Dutch film), but here the camera forces itself inbetween them as an instrument of Truth. All this gives you a weird feeling watching the movie (you're intruding Daantje's life much more than you want to), but there's a special atmosphere that manages to keep all the viewers watching (even those who saw the film on tv and missed the beginning).
It's difficult to think of a movie that is more "in your face" than Zusje. It's hard not to see Kim van Kooten's talent in this film. It's hard to find a better Dutch film. Robert Jan Westdijk's later attempts at films got less excited reviews, which could remind us of the Orson Welles story. Still, Orson Welles Westdijk ain't and even if Westdijk turns out to be a "one hit wonder", that shouldn't keep you from watching Zusje.
Zusje (little sister) is one of the most inventive movies ever made
h-kooijman914 January 2005
Although already 10 years old, this movie remains one of the most inventive films ever made in the Netherlands, and launched the careers of Kim van Kooten and the director, Robert-Jan Westdijk. The captivating performance by Kim van Kooten and her talking into the camera gave me the feeling that I was intruding in something very private.Her fantastic looks in a "girl next door" kind of way, made that feeling even stronger. The supporting cast are also very true to life. I do not want to give anything away of the storyline, since the viewer really has to let himself get drawn into the story and experience the fantastic twist at the end.It is still a shame that dutch cinema is not seen on a bigger platform, due to the language barrier and that it seems that even academy award winning films like The Assault, Antonia and Character are largely unknown outside the Netherlands and the relatively small group of European film lovers in America.
Thank God this movie is out on rental!!!
zeppobu30 March 1999
My own little sister asked me to tape this while she was on holliday (how ironic) last night I was browsing through my tapes and I caught the end of Zusje, I was in love with it. So complex, so sensitive and extremely close to reality. What a great therapy movie, though the viewer does not know what for. At the end as the movie (seems to) unravel(s) we (think we) see what happens, it is powerful!! I wish the movie had more international (ie American) recognition...
Keeps you on the edge of your seat
sander-vanluit10 August 2020
simply the best, pure beauty
chaos-189 May 1999
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