This is a replacement of a former torrent!!!


                 SIMON.2004.PAL.SUBS_dutch-french-english.DVDR                 


Ripped with......: DVD Shrink
Source ..........: Retail DVD
Genre ...........: Drama/Comedy
Audio............: [X]Dutch
Subtitles........: [X]Dutch    [X]French    [X]English    

IMDB.............: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393775/

Actors...........: Cees Geel, Marcel Hensema, Nadja Hüpscher 

Plot.............:     

Here is a movie that is moving and sad, although it comes in one of the funniest packages I have seen. It tells the story of the straight Simon (Cees Geel) and his gay-friend Camiel (Marcel Hensema). The movie starts in 1988, Holland. Simon hits Camiel with his car and drives him to a nearby hospital. After Camiel has revealed he is gay Simon replies with 'better you then me,' and we know what kind of guy Simon is. Although Simon is pretty hard on Camiel, especially with his gay-comments, they become friends. Simon owns a hash bar (in Holland we call it a coffee shop), has a girl named Sharon (Rifka Lodeizen), and two kids (one girl, one boy) with an ex-wife in Thailand. Once a year Simon and his friends all go to Thailand because Simon has things to do there. Since Camiel is part of the group he joins them. Events on the island make sure Camiel and Simon stop seeing each other.

The movie shifts to 2002 where the real story starts. Camiel and Simon meet again, ironically because Simon almost hits Camiel with his car. Simon reveals he has cancer and is dying. This does not come as a surprise since the movie opens with Simon's revelation. Things have changed in fourteen years. Camiel is living with a man named Bram (Dirk Zeelenberg). Simon's kids have moved to Holland since their mother died, and are now teenagers. Sharon is married with another guy but is still friends with Simon. Simon and Camiel renew their friendship and become even better friends than before. Camiel also becomes very close with Simon's daughter named Joy (Nadja Hüpscher). They all know that Simon's end is inevitable and when he announces he wants euthanasia they, and Simon, have to prepare themselves for it.

There is a lot of nudity and sex in the movie. It is not very strange since this is a Dutch movie. The good thing here is that both the nudity and the sex sometimes really have a purpose. One sex-scene in particular that includes Simon and Camiel (not in the way you might think) gives us one of the biggest laughs in the movie. There are also a lot of jokes about gay people but I guess no one should be offended. Simon, who makes most of the jokes, means things well and I have to admit that basically every gay related joke is funny. Of course it helps that Simon is one of the most lovable rude characters I have seen. Like the rude Jack Nicholson in 'Terms of Endearment', another movie that ends with a deathbed, you just have to like him.

A lot of credit has to go to Cees Geel. If this was an American movie his performance would be Oscar-worthy. In fact, this is the Dutch movie to compete for Best Foreign Language Film this year. In my opinion it would be worthy to be at least nominated, although I can't compare with other entries. The subjects of 'Simon' are handled in a terrific way but they could be too heavy, or probably more so, handled too honest for an American audience. I am not sure since the Academy nominated Dutch movie 'Zus & Zo' in 2003 and that also dealt with pretty heavy material in the form of a comedy.

A comedy, that is what 'Simon' is. It has the same amount of laughs as the best Hollywood-comedies. When the movie comes near the inevitable end it avoids the stupid melodramatic scenes and even knows how to stay funny. The beauty of 'Simon' is that it doesn't really asks for laughs or tears, it tells a story of extraordinary people and it simply gets them. 'Simon' is one of the best movies this year. It is original, moving, funny and contains one of the best performances I have seen in a long time. 





Verhaal..........:

Simon vertelt het verhaal van de onwaarschijnlijke vriendschap tussen de Amsterdamse oerhetero en hasjdealer Simon en de schuchtere homoseksuele tandheelkundestudent Camiel. Tijdens een gezamenlijke vakantie in Thailand wordt de vriendschap ernstig op de proef gesteld, waarna de twee elkaar uit het oog verliezen. Als ze elkaar twaalf jaar later toevallig weer tegenkomen, blijkt Simon ernstig ziek te zijn.