SXSW Review: ‘Holland’ Has an Intriguing Hook But Fails to Deliver on It

Everybody wants the perfect life, existing happily with a loving family in a place where it’s always sunny. That can be hard to locate or achieve, and when it does happen, attaining it may come at a price. Realizing that an idyllic life isn’t everything you always thought it was can be jarring and transformative, especially if it’s not possible to pinpoint exactly what’s off about it. Holland, director Mimi Cave’s follow-up to her debut feature Fresh, posits a magical facade that slowly peels back to reveal something objectively much less interesting than what’s on the surface.

Nancy Vandergroot (Nicole Kidman) has a wonderful life in Holland, Michigan. She’s married to Fred (Matthew Macfadyen), the local optometrist, and they have a son, Harry (Jude Hill). When Nancy begins to suspect that her husband is having an affair after she finds a receipt in his pocket, she enlists the help of her fellow schoolteacher, Dave (Gael García Bernal), to start following him to get proof. As they get closer to understanding what’s going on with Fred and his secret tips, they also develop a bond that feels like it can’t go anywhere even if it’s going to make them both happy.

Those who have seen Fresh will anticipate a similarly twisted, violence-filled experience, and starting to watch this film doesn’t feel anything like that. While there are mysteries unearthed over the course of its runtime, it starts by presenting something that feels much more like Desperate Housewives or Pleasantville but without the backstory, made to seem suspicious only by the too-perfect narration that indicates a lack of awareness about the fact that, when everything seems to be good to be true, it usually is. Though it takes place in 2000, its tone and style make it feel like a relic of the past, which is the point, even if it sometimes seems like it’s set decades earlier than a mere twenty-five years ago.

Appealing to the same audience as her first film shouldn’t be Cave’s only ambition, but this script from Andrew Sodroski, whose most significant past credit is as creator of the solid Discovery/Spectrum series Manhunt, doesn’t go nearly as deep as it could or should. Whether its “big twist” is predictable or not doesn’t matter nearly as much as the fact that it’s just not that substantial. Given the premise and the talent involved, audiences are likely expecting a better payoff for immersing themselves in this world, and that just can’t be found, likely because the story relies too much on setup and exposition and doesn’t save nearly enough time for what happens once everyone knows the full breadth of what’s happening.

Regardless of the quality of the material she’s working with, Kidman remains one of the best working actresses today, and this film is no exception. Her big reactions to minor developments are what make this watchable and bearable, and she also has fun chemistry with Bernal, who’s still taking the role relatively seriously even if there are playful elements to be found within it. Emmy winner and Succession star Macfadyen is also well-cast for his part, and seeing him dressed in clothing of that recent era only adds to the list of things that may or may not be deceptive about his character. He’s well-versed in playing someone who can shift from charming to despicable and back again with almost no warning.

This film’s title references its setting, a real city in Michigan with a strong Dutch heritage. It’s not clear what about that place felt like the right backdrop to anchor this tale. Creating a fictional town from which to focus on this family could have worked just as well, and that’s another element of the film that feels underdeveloped and not extensively utilized. This film is most appealing before its secrets are unveiled, at which point it becomes considerably less engaging, making for a disjointed viewing experience that ultimately proves less than rewarding.

Movie Rating: 5/10