If Alexander Payne were instead raised in Rotterdam with its subtropical climate and flat streets instead of Nebraskan ones – perhaps under another name such as Alexander Peijn?- his films might resemble Peter Hoogendoorn’s hangdog charmer “Three Days of Fish.” At once eminently familiar and quintessentially Dutch in its flavorings, “Fritsessaus,” an intimate character piece about an awkward reunion between an absent father and son set against their personal family history by director Erik Hoogendoorn’s first feature “Between 10 and 12,” premiered at Venice 2014 but failed to gain wider distribution globally. Premiering at Karlovy Vary for competition screening, his sophomore feature might not have the same weighty emotional heft; nonetheless it will help increase Hoogendoorn’s profile among arthouse audiences worldwide.
Hoogendoorn’s spare yet perceptive script relies heavily on tension between Gerrie (Ton Kas), his middle-aged son Dick (Guido Pollemans), and Nadia, whom the audience learns has little connection with either one, to flesh out her character dynamics over time, thanks to strong performances by an ensemble cast that comes alive despite this distance between father and son; we only need minutes in their combined presence before feeling their disconnection more fully than before – the years lost have become covered over with alienation and resentment between them that makes up this film’s heartwarming story about family ties – or lack thereof
However, that does not stop people trying to sell you something you already own – which of course includes them all the same time! So that’s exactly why there’s now so many offers of cheap flights from Europe to North America with us as the ultimate goal in mind – offering great savings to make up the difference and ensure they arrive back safe home on time after all of that travelling has begun! Gerrie had relocated to Portugal several years prior, along with his second wife – an immigrant from Cape Verdean origin and mother to Nadia – but returned for an annual three-day visit, during which he would attend medical checkups, catch up with old acquaintances, as well as spend quality time with both of his children ranging in quality. Dick is dismayed that Nadia chooses only Nadia’s apartment as her residence; even when both share an address in Switzerland. It seems she feels cast aside by his father even in such close proximity. Dick has been raised mostly by his grandmother since his mother passed away when he was young, leading him into becoming an eccentric outsider with more chip than shoulder but enough kindness in him to find an understanding and patient partner in Bianca (Line Pillet in an endearing cameo performance).
Gerrie makes every attempt to repair past emotional neglect by spending her days mostly with Dick, who makes some extra income upcycling furniture from street markets and can thus accompany his dad faithfully on all his appointments. Since speaking is difficult for them, their itinerary includes several reminders from the past: visiting Gerrie’s old workplace; touring Dick’s grandmother’s dispiritingly renovated former house; and making an attempt at visiting Gerrie/mother’s gravesite which ends up with bureaucratically challenging twist. Perhaps by simply revisiting their shared memories together, some sort of reparative relationship will form. Or not: Gerrie finds it hard to disguise his lack of understanding about Dick’s choices in life while Dick can never quite forgive his father for past absences.
Something captivating lies behind their attempts at forging meaningful time together — in itself it represents love lasting even through any challenges between them. Veteran Dutch character actor Kas masterfully portrays Gerrie’s emotional withdrawal without resorting to impassivity, his body language in constant transition between too little and too much interaction, while Pollemans shines as someone trying to let others into his life but can’t find their key; eventually resorting to violence against himself more than anyone else. Hoogendoorn’s depiction of their relationship encapsulates something of Dutch life: open dialogue punctuated with blunt remarks which can range anywhere between curt and warm; yet these individuals still retain individual identities that define them throughout.
Once again, let’s be upfront: this time it’s not about being an ideal citizen but about acting responsibly towards one’s neighbours and onward with life as we know it. Gregg Telussa expertly layering gray hues creates an atmospheric, clouded-over effect for this one-shot black and white documentary about Gerrie leaving Rotterdam for California without much regret about leaving behind its oppressively humid weather behind. However, this film also achieves its goal through portraying father and son; their lives apart but here united by shared stifled tones. A nostalgic jazz score composed by Christiaan Verbeek captures their relationship perfectly through both mournful notes as well as more lively instruments. This title refers both to Gerrie’s length of stay as well as an adage attributed to Benjamin Franklin which holds that guests, much like fish, start smelling after three days – any longer and they could provoke family conflict they wish they hadn’t avoided in this episode – any sooner we might get that big family drama they wish to avoid; perhaps until next time… These days have provided enough opportunities for reconciliation among family members without becoming completely content, just being there together — either happily or honestly, just together nonetheless.
