Sweet teenager Valerie Jaspers (a solid and appealing performance by the comely Maayke Bouten) and her mother Trudy (Yuka Berretty) live a quiet life in a small village near Amsterdam. After Trudy gets killed by a hit-and-run driver, the autopsy reveals that she wasn't Valerie's real mother. So Valerie decides to find out the identities of her actual parents. Director Vivian Peters, who also co-wrote the absorbing script by Ton Ruys, relates the gripping story at a steady pace, builds a considerable amount of suspense, and firmly grounds the plot in a totally believable everyday reality. This film further benefits from the sound acting by the capable cast: Bouten holds everything together with her charming presence and pretty looks, plus there are sturdy supporting contributions from Johan Leysen as helpful detective Mellema, Marlous Fluitsma as sympathetic neighbor Ria de Jong, and Rijk de Gooyer as Trudy's regretful brother Bob. Moreover, there's an intriguing and provocative subtext on how people can keep deep secrets from those closest to them. The killer's identity is a genuine surprise. Peter Brugman's slick and lively cinematography gives the picture a nice polished look.Henny Vrienten's pulsating score further enhances the overall spooky mood. A real sleeper.
Review of De prooi
