Accused

A pure Dutch drama that borders on Scandinavian depression, quite similar to the German movie Five Years, the only difference being that you will get not only perfect acting performances, but also high-quality execution, which won’t bore you because it’s anything but impersonal. You see, Lucie managed to get under my skin in the first couple of minutes and I simply couldn’t let her story go. And the authors almost aced turning this strong premise into a movie. I say almost because several important questions remained unanswered. You see, it almost seemed as if they’d released Lucie from prison out of sheer despair over the pressure put on them by the press. There was an apology, but what about some compensation for those six years? I would have sued the pants off the state in such a case. And that promising lawyer escaped unscathed? She simply got fired? That doesn’t seem right to me. Anyways, I know that the legal system in our country isn’t worth squat, either. I am speaking from personal experience. So, the fact that the situation in the Netherlands is worse, rather than better, was a consolation for me. (01/10/2015)

Another miscarriage of justice from the Netherlands, based on real events. The main character is a 40 year old nurse who faces false accusations of seven murders (toddlers included), as a serial killer of innocent patients. The case is taken up by an ambitious and young prosecutor who wants to send the nurse to prison immediately. A film with a strong and chilling theme and makes the most of it. This is a very well known case in the Netherlands. Of course, there are also good performances, solid direction, a stifling atmosphere and one unexpected move by the prosecution. I'm a bit disappointed that there isn't much of the actual trial and it is not as gripping as in other films (for those who have a lot of experience in the genre). The French Guilty hit me more emotionally, but this one is also undoubtedly a quality film that shouldn't disappoint fans of the genre, even if it goes for a lot of safety. Story 4/5, Action 0/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 0/5, Fun 3/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 4/5. (14/01/2022)