The Memory of a Killer (2005)

Really Surprised!

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Changes in memory become normal as people become older, but memory loss that interferes with daily life is not normal. So how does the disease affect hit men?Angelo (Jan Decleir) is a professional hit man, and he wants to retire because he feels he is losing it. Decleir is a veteran Belgian actor known for Character, Daens, and Verlengd weekend. I liked him in Antonia's Line. He is perfect for the role as an aging killer.The movie is a police procedural searching for those involved in child prostitution. The killer is after the same people. Is he good or bad?Koen De Bouw is the police inspector on the case, and also looking at a closed case at the same time. He is known for Loft (2008) and The Intruder (2005), and I think we are going to see great things from him.One thing is certain; Angelo is on his last job. He is losing his mind, and it remains to be seen if he can escape both sides that are searching for him.Deborah Ostrega was a welcome addition to the movie, although she didn't come to a very good end.Watch it before Hollywood screws up the remake.

De Zaak Alzheimer is a decent crime thriller where "mandatory" elements (dead bodies, shootings, explosions, chases) are in place, but a serious mental illness of a bad guy provides interesting and distinct opportunities to move beyond a trivial cat-and-mouse play. Moreover, flashbacks and retrospects are not annoying/over-exploited, but just in the right place at the right time. The ending is also multiple, not single. However, the inclusion of child abuse issue was probably undue as it is so sensitive issue in Belgium.The cast is rather strong, but not all the characters are elaborated, especially those of policemen. Thus, the catchiest was Jan Decleir as Angelo Ledda, whose making out in different circumstances was interesting to follow. Nevertheless, the film is a pleasant difference from Hollywood crime thrillers, with many nice similarities with Scandinavian ones. Recommended for a broader, different picture.

If, like me, you don't know what country "Flemish cinema" refers to, then read on. Yeah, I'm one of those dimwits like Joey on Friends when they tell him Dutch people live in the Netherlands, and he says "no, that's where Peter Pan came from." Suffice it to say this was the first Belgian film I've ever seen, and I was really impressed. It's stylish, polished, has a lush musical score, and features a lot of actors who seem really human. Even the minor roles were well played.I'm not usually a fan of crime thrillers, but this one drew me in with its interesting premise: a hero who's losing his memory. In that respect, reminded me of the excellent Tom Tykwer film "Winter Sleepers" (1997), except this film is driven by a faster, more action-oriented plot and pace.There's a lot going on here. Just when you think it's over, a new drama comes into the mix, making it unpredictable until the end. The director effectively used a lot of suspense tricks which will make you say "aha, you got me!" For example (though this was not used in this movie), a cat might jump out at the perfect moment to give your heart a little leap. In hindsight it's silly, but you can't deny it works. So bear in mind, this is definitely a movie for people who enjoy being taken for a ride. In the same vein, I think the director intentionally uses some standard clichés, almost in a playful way. If you approach this movie with the idea of having a fun time, you won't be disappointed.Final note: I think it helps to be a little familiar with Belgian culture, which I'm not. I could tell the characters switch languages between different variations of Dutch/Flemish, French, and snippets of English, and I think that's significant. Some of the settings are breathtaking, and I found myself saying "wow, that place is cool! I wonder where that is". In all, this is a film that Belgium can be very proud of, and I hope to see more like it in the future.

An old hit man must battle the effects of Alzheimer's disease while staying one step ahead of a corrupt and bureaucratic Belgian police force. Van Looy has created a slickly entertaining film, but in the end it feels like empty calories, with too much style and little substance. The representation of Alzheimer moments using a weird green tint becomes annoying, as it doesn't really serve any purpose. The film moves at a fast clip but loses momentum about two-thirds of the way through and then goes on a bit too long. Decleir gives a good performance as the killer. The running gag about people urinating into the locks of BMWs is meant to be hilarious but is simply lame.