As in The Fugitive, a convicted killer (Theo Maassen) escapes and sets out to prove his innocence, yet this story, based on an actual case, is far removed from that. That it’s the work of a Belgian, Pieter Kuijpers, who made another good crime drama, Godforsaken, is one reason. Another is that, for much of the film, the escapee is in the company of a thirteen-year-old girl (Lisa Smit) he’s taken as a hostage. Most significantly, the characters make the film unique. For one thing, it’s clear that, innocent or not, the convict is no Richard Kimble. His escape is from a facility for the criminally insane. At times the film operates like a thriller, as when he tries to flee the country. At others, it is more of a drama, but with the tension of wondering whether the girl is right as she begins to trust him, and without undue sentimentality.
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viewed 4/13/08 (Philadelphia Film Festival); reviewed 8/8/2010
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