Watch Don For Free

Such a frustrating disappointment

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

This dutch movie might seem to some to be a commercial project, but I found it to be a very interesting look at modern Holland, and specially at its younger people. A white boy, who has serious conduct problems, is expelled from his uptight school and sent to a a black school, that is, a school populated mostly by immigrants. There he is rejected by most of the other kids, and is specially hated by the local bully (who is thoroughly repulsive). But, being really good at football, he ends up convincing the other kids in the school to form a team in order to play in the local tournament. After much fights, even the bully joins the team and victory will eventually reach them (Am I revealing too much here? I don't think so. Ever since the team is formed, you know they will put aside their differences in order to reach their objective.) Beyond its commercial veneer and upbeat ending, it has very interesting things to say about segregation in modern Holland, and about the lack of integration and general hopelessness of the immigrant community.

In Holland the standard of youth-movies is pretty high. After movies as 'Het Paard van Sinterklaas' and 'Polleke' it isn't easy to come up with a new and original movie. And that really is the only problem with 'Don' (2006).The movie is in one word 'expactable'. No original storyline and the typical clashes between the good and the bad kids. But is this enough to turn your back to this movie? No, it certainly isn't.'Don' is first of all, well acted. The kids (supposed to be grade 6'ers) show themselves as complete actors. They handle the emotions and the character what comes with their parts as real individuals. Also the plot is a good example for kids who live in the more difficult neighbourhoods. It shows that it is possible to mix white and black schools.To cut a long story short, 'Don' is a good and entertaining movie. Not only to watch for your selves, but also to show to your up-growing kids. Especially the ones who are facing the same youth problems.