Holland Movie Review: Not Even Nicole Kidman Saves a Wrong Thriller like Holland
After the disruptive onset with Fresh (2022), Mimi Cave returns to directing with Holland, presented at SXSW 2025 and outgoing on First Video. Suppose her first film by the young director was distinguished by the radical approach to horror and a disturbing visual imprint. In that case, her second direction opts for a decidedly more traditional story. It is clear from the start that Holland could have been much more: a subtle thriller, a melancholy portrait of provincial life, or a female analysis of domestic restlessness. On the contrary, he merely delivers a mechanical and predictable story to the public, in which even the talent of a certainty like Nicole Kidman is wasted. The uncertain tone is perhaps the aspect of Holland which will raise the eyebrow to more than one spectator. On horseback between noir, grotesque grand guignol, and satire camp, the second work of the director Mimi Cave abandons the safe beaches of the most granite and successful Fresh to appear in unexplored territories.
More courageous and therefore riskier, the film relies on a top-tier cast led by Nicole Kidman, who presents a perpetually grainy look that resembles a giant porcelain doll. “Gigantic” compared to the diminutive Gael Garcia Bernal, who does his best to lend depth to his character and racial identity stemming from the discriminatory attacks he endures due to his Mexican heritage. Mystery thriller drama Holland is a film directed by Mimi Cave and written by Andrew Sodroski, featuring a teacher named Nancy, a wife and mother living in the town of Holland – precisely in Michigan – founded by Dutch-Americans. The woman soon begins to suspect that her husband leads a double life, but the reality proves to be worse than she initially imagined. Authors like the late David Lynch, for instance, dedicated parts of their filmography to uncovering the dark side of provincial towns, rife with unconfessable secrets (Blue Velvet). These works often reveal that even the primary institution on which these small communities are built, the family, is not spared- often proving complicit, if not directly responsible, for unspeakable horrors. One can recall Leland Palmer’s narrative in The Secrets of Twin Peaks, especially in the prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, where he is both the executioner and murderer of his daughter, Laura, albeit driven by supernatural forces.
Holland Movie Review: The Story Plot
Holland is the name of a true Michigan citizen founded by the Dutch, where many people who still speak the language of Amsterdam live and once a year host the tulip festival, with traditional clothes, windmills, and everything else. It is in this apparently idyllic place, in the year 2000, that the film takes place. Nicole Kidman is Nancy, housewife, home economics teacher, mother of little Harris and wife of Fred Vandergroot (Macfayden), local ophthalmologist. In Holland, life flows quietly, perhaps too quietly for Nancy, who, however, a well-known evening of Polaroid cameras hidden in the garage where Fred and Harris build a sort of miniature reproduction with Holland trains. An unusual find, given that Nancy has never seen Polaroid photographs around the house, and for this reason, she begins to suspect that her husband is hiding an extra-marital relationship from her. He, therefore, confides in his fellow teacher, Dave Delgado (Garcia Bernal), practically the only one in town who does not have light skin and eyes, and the two begin to investigate. What they discover will upset them, but we will not spoil anything for you, For more suggestions, we leave you the trailer thoroughly reviewed.
Holland Movie Review and Analysis
The perfect wife who starts to suspect everything and everyone is a typical role of Nicole Kidman, and in Holland she plays it best. Even his male supporting actors have fallen well into their respective parts, to which they give depth and credibility. Even little Jude Hill as Harris is very good at arousing parental protection mechanisms. But the actors’ performance is not enough to save Holland. A film that lacks pathos, which struggles terribly to mesh for over an hour because, simply, history does not involve and indeed rejects. One finds oneself wondering when and where certain scenes are set, and even the discovery of the clues takes place in an unclear and, therefore, scarcely exciting way. The limits of the script are contrasted by a splendid photograph, which well returns the feeling of superficial perfection under which the worst mysteries are hidden, but this is not enough when it is difficult to follow the story, to understand the deep motivations of the characters, when everything seems so confused and not even the ending shows a little clarity.
Holland could have been a film that denounces the hypocrisy of certain places in America that are so irreproachable and at the same time so intolerant, where the reputation of a respectable man is superior even to the tests that frame him, where women are still subjected and placed on the margins of society, from the parts of the hearth. Instead, unfortunately, it is only a thriller with little sense and no bite. We are in the early 2000s, and the teacher, Nancy Vandergroot (Kidman), seems to lead a perfect life in Holland, an idyllic town in the Midwest. Her husband Fred (Matthew Macfadyen, the Tom Wambsgans of Succession), an ophthalmologist, is what would be called a pillar of the community, actively involved in the various local initiatives, as well as a deacon. But the latter’s continuous trips around the country, with the classic excuse of attending conferences, begin to sprout the seed of doubt in Nancy: what if Fred betrayed her or worse? The woman confides her concerns to her colleague and friend, Dave Delgado (Gael García Bernal), who is secretly in love with her, and he immediately gets involved in a crazy investigation. Will well-founded suspicions or only the obsession of a mind that tries to escape from an existence now considered sad and monotonous reveal itself?
Holland, first of all, tries to build the portrait of an unreliable protagonist, insinuating a sense of uncertainty in the viewer. Is there a mystery to investigate, or is it just the result of an unbalanced mind? Nancy is introduced to us while accusing the babysitter, Candy (Rachel Sennott, here in a brief appearance), of having stolen her earring, an object that will later be found at home. The character is presented as obsessive and unreasonable, of those convinced that they are always right and ready to unleash an uproar to verify their beliefs. A petty bourgeois with the propensity to spend disproportionate energy on a trifle, given that, probably, in his comfortable life, far more serious and pressing problems are absent. A “Karen”, to use a neologism popularized by the web, is immediately unreliable and even unpleasant.
The credibility of the protagonist and our sympathy towards him are so compromised, thanks to the effective performance of Kidman, to irreparably undermine the tension of a large part of the film. During the first two-thirds of Holland, any sense of danger looming is absent. More than doubt as to what is true in Nancy’s suspicions, we are sold the certainty of her most complete unreliability; all by a twist that would shock the viewer, but which proves disappointing. Another of the mistakes of Holland is to build a context so characterized and over the top to create false expectations. The small community of Michigan, the scenario of the story, is so fake and disturbing that a conspiracy of a completely different entity would be expected, perhaps with the involvement of the entire town. Something in the territories of certain folk horror (The Wicker Man) or works like The Factory of Wives, for example. Even the historical setting of the early 2000s is little exploited, if not for pure and simple nostalgic questions, between the Nokia 3310 and films rented by Blockbuster. The umpteenth interesting element that is lost in a mostly flat and unsuccessful narrative development.
Holland it is one of those cases in which the final product is worth less than the sum of its parts; another pretext for Nicole Kidman to perform in the role of wealthy mother of the family but with problems (as far as she is concerned, she is now almost trapped in that part, with rare exceptions, since Big Little Lies – Small Big Lies). A provincial mystery thriller without bite, recommended just for the most irreducible completists of the work of the great Australian actress. Colorful and crackling like a birthday cake for kids covered in Smarties, Holland is full of ingredients combined by the director’s imagination that enrich the much drier script signed by Andrew Sodroski. The explosion of colors in the representation of the town, the look and the neat and tidy house in which Nancy lives, the model Fred works on who has a lot in common with that of Beetlejuice, the choice of set the film in early 2000, with display of antediluvian cell phones and the presence of DVDs, Mrs. Doubtfire on TV e No More I Love You’s by Annie Lennox hummed by Nancy during household chores, they appear without specific narrative motivation that is not related to the director’s taste.
Not to mention the difficulties faced by Dave because of his Mexican origin, fleetingly analyzed in a scene by Ku Klux Klan of the poor in which the teacher becomes the target of a racist attack by a pupil and his father Buzzurro, or the dreamlike sequence kitsch which sees Nancy as protagonist. This wealth of detail goes to embellish and customize a rather traditional thriller plot e voltage free. When Nancy, with some complacent grimaces, convinces Dave to follow her in the venture to search her husband’s study, going to follow him to the hotel to find evidence of his betrayal, never for a moment do we fear that they will be discovered so much mechanical and predictable the plot noir. Mimi Cave compensates for the absence of heart dives with some well-thought-out pulp sequences in which blood flows in abundance, but in the overall economy of the film, these scenes arrive too late to revive the general trend.
Of course, Holland would not exist without its highest-level cast. Only Nicole Kidman manages to give lightness and consistency to a character like Nancy, dissatisfied without ever seeming petulant and endowed with a spirit of initiative even though unable to shake off the system in which she is entangled. This is the point of view chosen by the author, and it is thanks to Kidman’s experience that the abstruse Nancy is somehow credible even if at times it ends up being over the top. Much more measured, Gael García Bernal tries to give Dave’s character the right thickness without being excessively heavy and taking on too dramatic tones. At times, however, he appears sincerely lost due to the multiple directions that the film seems to undertake without going through even one. More centered on Matthew MacFadyen. The role of the ambiguous, fake-perbenist husband and manipulator fits perfectly with the star of Succession that embodies perfectly the darkness that winds under the riot of colors of Holland.
Holland is animated by a bizarre and retro tone that recalls the black comedies of the ’90s, in particular, the grotesque and irreverent atmospheres of the John Waters cinema and films like Mrs. Kill Everyone. In this sense, the second work of Mimi Cave flirts with the satirical genre, embracing that kitsch aesthetic that makes the American province a place as ordinary as it is disturbing. Kidman offers intense and multifaceted evidence, initially put into the shoes of a woman of the past, to then show cracks and transformations as paranoia creeps into her life. His psychological path is rendered through disturbing dreams and symbolic images that emphasize the contrast between the apparent perfection of the town and the restlessness that is hidden beneath the surface. Cave cleverly plays with these elements, staging the slow sliding of the protagonist towards the breaking point.
The director manages to exploit the setting as an integral part of the story: the town of Holland, with its tulips, windmills, and Dutch architecture, almost becomes a character in itself, a place that hides its secrets behind an impeccable appearance. Andrew Sodroski’s script adds interesting nuances about human nature and social control within closed communities, albeit without ever reaching the symbolic depth of the cinema of the illustrious colleagues by whom it is inspired. Matthew Macfadyen plays an ambiguous and disturbing Fred, never openly threatening but constantly manipulative: his interactions with Nancy are full of subtle tension, which Cave manages to enhance with a precise direction and intelligent use of the unspoken. Gael García Bernal is a solid presence, offering a sensitive and loyal counter field to the psychological descent of the protagonist.
Cave’s direction fishes with full hands from films like Blue Velvet, Serial Mom is Manhattan Murder Mystery, but without the same critical or stylistic force: as we said, the atmospheres are carefully constructed, and the film is full of aesthetic details that evoke the early 2000s, with a subtext that criticizes the conformism and respectability of provincial life. However, these suggestions remain on the surface: the satirical momentum and the thematic depth that would make the narrative incisive are lacking. Despite some brilliant moments, Holland always moves along predictable tracks. The thriller elements are flanked by a bland domestic satire, without ever finding a convincing balance; the trend of the plot, with its unsurprising twists and the excess of caption, removes tension and slows down the pace. Even the interpretations, however solid, are imprisoned in too rigid roles, which follow more the narrative patterns than a real psychological evolution.
Cave demonstrates a certain visual ambition and the courage to mix genres and tones, but the film cannot find an original voice: instead of expanding the discourse on repression and the unspoken of the American province, it boils down to a discounted confirmation of the protagonist’s intuitions, depriving the story of any true ambiguity. Too bad though, after the originality and disturbing strength of Fresh, this new job marks a firm step back. Holland seems stuck in narrative dynamics already abundantly explored: the wife who discovers the ambiguity of her husband, the perfect village that hides secrets, the feminist subtext which, however, remains on the surface. The reflections on domestic repression, toxic masculinity, and the loneliness of female identity, although present, are never really deepened. These are hints, sketches, which do not find the space – nor the desire – to become something more.
The film, however, had a long and troubled gestation: it remained in the hell of development for years before reaching effective production. Holland brings with it the signs of this complicated origin. In the script, there is not Mimi Cave‘s hand, and you can hear: there is no consistency in tone and that ability to displace the viewer they had made Fresh such a promising debut. Here, the direction seems forced to bend to a story already written, unable to give it a truly personal direction. The cast – of very high profile – also ends up being the victim of this setting. Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, and Gael García Bernal are all extraordinary actors, but their characters appear more as caricatures than as three-dimensional figures. Kidman plays Nancy Vandergroot, a teacher who, as a devoted and passive woman, suddenly turns into a home detective after losing an earring. The change is almost comical, deliberately over the top, but it is never really justified from a psychological point of view.
Even Macfadyen, in the role of her husband Fred, oscillates between paternalistic kindness and controlled restlessness, without ever crossing the boundary of mystery or drama. Bernal, on the other hand, is relegated to the role of “sensitive shoulder”, without a real narrative arc. The real problem of Holland is the difference in height between the spectator and the characters. The public, now accustomed to decades of narratives that deconstruct the suburban idyll, always finds a step forward compared to the plot: every turn, every twist, and every implication has already been foreseen. There is no tension, there is no real ambiguity, and above all, there is never the feeling that history can explode into something new. The film plays on the safe side, adheres to genre clichés, and ends up looking more an involuntary parody than a real reflection on social and family roles.
Holland Movie Review: The Last Words
Holland takes up the vein of those mystery thrillers set in the American province, where horror is hidden under a peaceful and idyllic existence. The context of the Michigan town that refers to Dutch traditions is certainly fascinating, with grotesque veins on the edge of the Lynchian. A context that unfortunately is not exploited properly, as well as the historical setting of the early 2000s. The result is a mostly flat thriller, almost free of any tension, and with a disappointing twist. Yet another opportunity for Nicole Kidman to perform the role of a wealthy family mother with problems. In a film scene saturated with domestic dystopias and allegories about bourgeois repression, Holland merely repeats already known formulas. The result is a film that, although wanting to be unconventional, ends up being surprisingly stale.
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Gael García Bernal, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, Rachel Sennott, Lennon Parham, Jeff Pope, Isaac Krasner
Director: Mimi Cave
Steaming Platform: Prime Video
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 2.5/5 (two and a half stars)
Holland Movie Review: Not Even Nicole Kidman Saves a Wrong Thriller like Holland | Filmyhype
Director: Mimi Cave
Date Created: 2025-03-27 13:17
2.5
Pros
- Aesthetics cured and nostalgic: The retro atmosphere, among tulips, aprons and Dutch architecture, recalls the grotesque cinema of the 90s ’, with obvious tributes to La Signora ammazzatutti and to the world of John Waters.
- Visually interesting direction: Mimi Cave confirms a careful eye on the composition of the image, alternating almost surreal scenes with moments of domestic anxiety.
- High profile cast: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen and Gael García Bernal offer solid interpretations, despite the limitations of writing.
- The stellar cast ready to get involved with roles that are definitely out of the ordinary.
- However deranged, the film is full of ideas and you find it enjoyable.
- The intriguing satirical representation of the white American province through the portrait of Holland, all mills, tulips and secrets.
- The staging of tasty pulp sequences.
Cons
- Predictable and not very original plot: The narrative dynamics are already seen and never really manage to surprise.
- Weak and superficial script: The absence of Mimi Cave in the writing phase is felt, with little incisive dialogues and reflections mentioned but never developed.
- Stereotypic characters: The cast is wasted on speckling roles, more functional to the plot than really deepened.
- The thriller dimension is sluggish and predictable.
- Many ideas and intriguing themes find no development.
