Drift (2001) User Reviews

Typically Dutch...

[Jaap_Zuurkool · 7/10 · 25 August 2001]

15-year-old Samantha lives with her brother Jakob (20). Their parents are divorced. The father is in a hospital because he is senile and they don't know where their mother is. Sammy and Jakob take care of themselves, largely thanks to Jakob.

Sammy is growing older and wants to experience how men are like. Her brother though is very protective and sees her as the little girl he wants her to be...

If you like drama, you will probably like this movie.

Nothing special.

[DarkSpotOn · 3/10 · 16 November 2023]

We got a interesting story here, however the movie is very cheap (at least it seems to be) and there isn't anything really going on. There's barely any depth to these characters, Jakob works in meat delivery, his sister she is a student, and she is growing up. Dye to her hormones, she ends up having "fun" with her own brother, and a friends father. That's pretty much the whole movie.

Also, there's a side plot to their father, and this guy she wants to date but he didn't come to the date, none of these characters have any depth or personality to speak of. This movie could of been good if we actually had some characters that have been developed, that we can actually care for. I can tell you i did not care about any of these characters, and i found the whole movie to be kind of a chore.

There really isn't anything ultimately special, and if you want to watch a good drama, about teens growing up just go watch Lilya4Ever or Christiane F, this movie was mind bendingly dull. Both of the movies i just mentioned you actually can care for our characters, and we have a plot that drives forward, including better acting, better camera work, better everything.

American Beauty in the Dutch polder

[henkverbier · 9/10 · 19 November 2001]

I saw this film a couple of days ago and when I left the cinema it was hard for me to tell whether I liked the film or not. I did know that the acting qualities of the entire cast were amazing; especially those of newcomer Christel Oomen who played the role of Sammy.

While watching the film I immediately drew a comparison with the film American Beauty, but Drift is a lot darker than the former. While in American Beauty the characters try to keep up appearances, in Drift the characters have already come to terms with their situation. From the beginning you can feel the strange tension between Sammy and her brother and the complication it has on Sammy, who is on sort of a quest for love and tenderness, but constantly let down by the people around her. This is the case, because her judgment of people has not yet evolved enough. She is still very much a little girl, but has been given independence, while she was not ready yet. She is on the one hand physically a full-grown, sexual woman, but on the other hand an emotional child waiting for someone who gives her the compassion she is waiting for.

In the end I have come to the conclusion that Drift is an amazing Dutch coming-of-age drama and a must-see for everyone interested in the emotional growing of a teenage girl trapped in a difficult home.

Short opinion about the movie

[wartenavincent · 8/10 · 6 June 2005]

Okay, I feel motivated to write something about this movie, because another guy gave according to my opinion a complete False review about this film.

One thing is true about the movie Drift, If you don't like drama movie's, movie's where emotions count, where actually the interaction between the players is as important as the storyline itself, you probably won't appreciate this film. It's almost the complete opposite of you're typical all-American Hollywood Pop-corn Movie, in story, way of acting, and last but not least the taboos that are very present in the movie.

The Girl in the movie; Christel Oomen gives a complete authentic and realistic appearance in this film. I couldn't get her out of my head for three weeks after seeing the film, you don't think you're looking to someone who's acting. Maybe you can compare her at best with that girl from Leon and Starwars, Nathalie Portman. I know that she was rewarded for her role in this film at a French film festival and if i'm not mistaking even an Toronto or a Canadian film festival.

The Guy who plays her Brother, is also very good in his role, always driving to a certain existential and sexual tension between he and his little sister. Besides a nice story, about the young girl discovering her own sexuality, her brother that's having a hard time with tough labor work, and both trying to cope with the loss of their father, the tension all players which is so visible in this movie, really gives it something extra. This is what you see so rarely in movies, and that exactly what's make this movie, unbelievable authentic, realistic, sometimes even shocking. So anyone who haves a chance of seeing it, should really do it !

Sister and Brother

[stensson · 8/10 · 21 November 2001]

The story is rather kinky, with a possessive brother and a secretly revolting sister, who comes her brother too near. She is the one who rules here. She is manipulative, she's a virus who (maybe without wanting it) is disastrous to anyone who touches her.

The interesting thing is, that although the story might be kinky, the storytelling isn't. There is an everyday tone here. You watch what happens and you somewhat doesn't think that this is really a movie, not really fiction. That's very well done and another sign of the vitality of Dutch filming right now. "Drift" is to be recommended.