By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Alex van Warmerdam
Starring: Alex van Warmerdam | Annet Malherbe | Eva van de Wijdeven | Gene Bervoets | Gijs Naber | Marlies Hueur | Marwan Kenzari
Original language title: De laatste dagen van Emma Blank
Country: netherlands
Year: 2009
Running time: 89
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1239446/reference
Thom says: “This Dutch gem is so droll that I find myself still thinking about months after seeing it at T.I.F.F. A woman who supposedly is dying lives in a large country house where she has assigned servant roles (including a ‘dog’) to her relatives that they must play to the hilt if they want part of her inheritance. So we have the maid, the cook, the butler, the mechanic, the gardener, and the dog. This isn’t anywhere near as easy as it sounds as the fading lady is not only hysterically demanding, but she changes her mind at the drop of a hat. The dialogue is eccentric, wacky, and it creates a disturbing picture of an isolated group. By making it so peculiar van Warmerdam heightens our interest and keeps us guessing. His wife, Annet Malherbe, has a prominent role in this film. 4.5 cats“