Allan Beamer

I would have liked to give more stars, but within the first 15 minutes, I was already wondering if I was watching a skin flick or something more intellectually challenging! I hate to sound like a prude, so chalk it up to age: but full on nudity? Is it really necessary to further the story? Sometimes it's nice to let the audience use their imagination a little bit. I used to live in Holland and have children there. I realize this sort of thing seems required in European films. But I think a story with excellent writing and acting goes a very long way toward an entertaining and enjoyable film experience, rather than bordering on a porno film. I had higher hopes for this film. Without the skin, it was ok. Not great, but ok. Production value was top notch. I wish I could recommend it but I'd be too embarrassed!

I'll only give this flick 2 stars out of respect for Jackie Chan and his craft. He's capable of so much more. And unfortunately, the rest of this film is just a vehicle for him to do his thing without making a Bruce Lee type of movie. His "buddy" films are much better produced and enjoyable to watch. If you're a gluten for punishment and just can't stop yourself from looking, you've been forewarned. I went half way through it before I finally asked my wife (who wanted to see this) what the point of it all was. I'm still not entirely sure... sigh...

I once met Miep Gies, who helped hide Anne Frank and her family. After living many years in Holland, I met her in Salt Lake City on a book tour. I'd read her book in Dutch, but it never dawned on me it had been translated. It was a great honor for me. But I'd heard many stories of the Occupation from folks who are now long gone. I've since visited Auschwitz. My wife, who is Belarusian, had a grandmother hide a Jewish girl for a time. This was the Eastern Front! So many stories from those harrowing times will never be told. Most of the unsung heroes of the War were just everyday people, standing up for what they knew was right. Very few who were in the Resistance wanted to talk about that. Any story, whether in film or otherwise, has value, if only to serve as an illustration of what happened, lest we forget. A dear friend of mine from high school days has almost convinced herself it really didn't happen on the scale it did. I know what I know. You can't hear as much as I have from first-hand sources, people who were there, with no hidden agenda, and conclude otherwise. It happened. Evil is always seeking to destroy good. And this story, so beautifully crafted, is a reminder of just how things were. I love the way it looks back in time and "remembers", always coming back to the present. It is just one story... out of so many more. Please don't forget. It happened. It really did! Don't let anyone begile you to believe otherwise. God bless all!

I found my wife in Belarus long before the internet. When this movie came out, we really enjoyed it. We still have a look now & then. Obviously, even since 2003, things have changed regarding dating overseas, what with "reality tv" 90 Fiance etc. My own personal history includes time spent in The Netherlands, so I've always thought it interesting that the film makers on this film have Dutch names. Don't know a thing about them however. Also, I had no idea that Emily Mortimore had learned Russian in her earlier years and thought it fun she could use it in a film. Learning a language requires dedication. Impressive. Overall, a funny entertaining film.

For me, this is a fun movie. However, I was a kid in the '60's and remember the music of the era. I lost interest in pop music in the late '80's when the music itself seemed to change. So for me, the success of the main character of this film and his introduction of "his" music, was simply a comparison of the success of really groundbreaking music of The Beatles vs the ho-hum soundalike stuff that passes for "music" today. Please forgive me this perspective. I know I sound a bit like my grandpa, but even my mom liked much of the Fab Four's music back in the day. Were she alive now, I'm quite sure, she'd be hard pressed as I am, to find anything to really sing to. Maybe that's it in a nut shell: people still want music they can sing along with and embrace as their own. This type of music largely ended with the '70's & '80's.