Review of Character (1997) by Jens T — 06 Feb 2011

Mike Van Diem's Character delivers exactly what the title says: Character or Characters in plural, because this picture has full of interesting characters. We also watch one of the most tensive father and son relationship since Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

The story begins with Jakob Williem Katadreuffe who's is arrested, charged with murder of the bailiff Dreverhaven, whom he have hated all his life. Katadreuffe starts by telling the police cheifs his life story about him being raised only by his mother. He had to live with being a bastard child, which is no easy. He one day founds out that his father is Dreverhaven, the man that everybody hates. Katadreuffe tries to get his thoughts elsewhere by reading books and later apply for a career as a banker, but he founds out that even Dreverhaven is the cheif of it all.

As I said, the characters are the most interesting theme in this picture. The one and only Jan Decleir (as we first see him) as the evil bailiff: Dreverhaven. Decleir steals the whole movie, with his inhuman behavior, he's a tall and wide and doesn't talk much. He's more machine than man, just like Darth Vader. But also like Vader, he shows his human sides, but it's mainly to late for him. He could been an oscar contender. Other thing in this movie besides Decleir, is the love between Katadreuffe and a female co-worker named Ms. Te George. Their love is never expressed, because Katadreuffe do not get any of her signals. We as an audience, always get the signals, His always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. This is the most sad part of the film.