Siberia

Rating:
Summary: DECEPTIVE DUTCH DUDES
Review:
Robert Jan Westdijk's SIBERIA (Home Vision) is an edgy film about Dutch scam artists -- cavalier Hugo (Hugo Metsers) and his submissive sidekick Goof (Roeland Fernhout). They seduce and rob female backpackers visiting Amsterdam and then rip out the identity pages of their victims' passports as a souvenir in their private competition to collect IDs from around the world. They keep these mementos and the stolen loot in a cabinet shrine at Goof's place where they both live.

Things change quickly when they meet street smart Lara (Vlatka Simac), from Siberia. To Hugo's dismay, and against their self-proclaimed rules, Goof falls in love with Lara (who knows nothing of their crimes) and invites her to stay at their place. This creates problems with their ongoing scam. Soon, love sick Goof suggests to Hugo that the three use their ill-gotten gains for a trip to Siberia. Hugo says no, that he and Goof must continue their competition of seduction and robbery with the winner taking all the money. To say more would spoil this deliciously amoral and cynical story of greed, sex and deception. "Siberia" is a cold-hearted, funny and sometimes explicit film about a very twisted friendship.

Shot on location in Amsterdam, this great looking movie is artfully edited with time-lapse and grainy black and white moments. Junkie XL's urgent techno score reflects the amped images of the druggy city and the speedy, triangulating, twisty plot.





Rating:
Summary: Fun and fluffy
Review: I've spent a lot of time with this movie, because I helped design the packaging. Even after the number of times I've watched it, I still enjoy it. Siberia is entertaining and interesting, not a movie you have to really think about to watch. It's definately something that 20-somethings will really enjoy, but that older audiences might find a little trite. It's a great flick to vege out too; total fluff.