FAITHFULLY YOURS

Netherlands, 2022, 95 minutes, Colour.

Bracha von Doesburth, Nasrdin Dchar, Gijs Naber, Elise Schaap, Matteo Simoni, Hannah Hoekstra, Sofie Decleir, Anna De Ceulaer.

Directed by Andre van Duren.

Faithfully Yours is an ironic title, especially concerning the central character, Bodil, a judge. We see her in action in the court, firm decisions even against protest from an angry father losing custody of his child. Bo is married with a son, organising football tickets for them to go to a favourite match, Bo going away on a weekend with her friend Isabella, Farewell to her husband and son and to Isabella’s husband, Luuk.

On the weekend away in Oostend, Isabella goes to a club and spends the night with someone, Bo taking photos and sending them to Isabella’s husband indicating that they were together. In the meantime, Bo goes to a lecture on lying (and there is quote the beginning of the film from George Bernard Shaw about liars never being believed). Bo meets up with the lecturer, Michael, takes her to her home, spends the night, then at the beach the next morning. She says that she does not want Michael to acknowledge knowledge of her in the future – and he leaves.

A photo of the dead Isabella appears on the phone, lots of blood, and a neighbour’s dog discovering the body. The police investigations are complex, Bo concealing something of the truth to gradually, step by step, having to reveal the truth about Isabella and herself. There is tension in the relationship between Bo and her husband, finding that he had cameras in the house and had recorded her affair with Michael. There is also footage from the hotel with Isabella and her partner.

Bo is not believed because she has been telling so many lies. Then there is a confrontation with Isabella’s husband who has feigned an ankle injury, feigned taking pills, confronts Bo, pursues her into the ocean where she, seen often as a good swimmer, hides and then drowns her assailant.

It emerges that she was the target of Isabella’s husband in his jealousy and possessiveness, and had hired a hitman using a codename from a novel that he had written.

However, there is a final twist which audiences would not have been anticipating, explained rationally, but quite a surprise nonetheless.

1. The title? The theme of lies and lying, the quote from George Bernard Shaw, Michael and his lectures, theories, discussions about truth, lying?
2. A Dutch film, Belgian settings, the town of Oostend, the hotel, the clubs, the streets, police officers? The sea, the beach? The musical score?
3. The introduction, the elderly man in the street, calling his dog, the dog and the blood? Then flashback for 20 minutes and resuming the plot?
4. Bodil, in the court, her work as a judge, the custody case, her decision, the reaction of the husband, anger and defiance? Her statement about liking her job? Leaving the court, her clothes, meeting up with Isabella, with their partners and the boy, the tickets for the football match, the women on the train, going for the weekend away? The plan, the husband’s beliefs, Bo sending the photos? The hostile encounter with her sister, Yara?
5. Bo, the hotel, going to the lecture, Michael and his presentation, the drink at the bar, Bo and the invitation, going to her house, the sexual encounter? The passion, the morning after, the phone call from Luuk, for Isabella to come because of his broken ankle, going for the swim, on the beach with Michael, his response, her wanting secrecy, his departure?
6. The photo of Isabella dead, the garrotte, the blood? Bo reporting it to the police? The police, the two women, the investigation, interrogations, manner?
7. Bo, concealing some of the truth, the pressures on her to tell the truth, gradually? Michael denying knowing her, her going to visit him, his apology, the piano and the string missing, memories of the garrotte and the Wikipedia search by Bo? Her leaving, walking straight into her husband?
8. Bo, the situation, her husband arriving, bringing Luuk, his injury? His manner? His blaming Bo for the alienation of his wife? For her murder? Milan and his relationship with Bo, their son, the essay in his father’s computer, Bo and her search, discovering the filming of her encounter with Michael, the cameras in the house? Going to the police, to show them, the material deleted? The police not believing her?
9. Luuk, writing, desperate, his love for his wife, the effect of her death, the tablets, being cared for by Milan?
10. Bo, Luuk’s novel, the character, the employment of the hitman? A realisation that she was the target, Luuk’s plan? Her husband’s reaction, allowing her affairs? Her suspicions, Luuk and the overdose?
11. Bo, the confrontation with Luuk, the pretence of his injury, his pursuing Bo, even into the water, her disappearing, drowning him, the squad coming for the body, the police and admitting self defence?
12. The irony of the twist that Luuk was behind the whole plot, to murder Bo, for him to be with his wife?
13. The issue of the passport, the visit her sister, the sisters warning, the reconciliation? Bo making the phone call to see whether she was on the list of suspects? Getting the passport, the phone call, going to the airport, the revelation of the final twist, the footage of Yara and Isabella together, and the revelation of the plot, the character from Luuk’s novel?
14. The reconciliation with Michael? The future, Bo staying married or not, her son, her career as a judge, Michael?