For those of us who have watched Netflix’s Belgian crime drama “Undercover”, FERRY brings the backstory to all that making of a brutal drug kingpin. However, if you have not watched the series yet, the latest feature film is not a spoiler; rather, it stands on its own with a refreshing take on the making of a criminal with a convoluted character.
In FERRY, the story is based in the city of Amsterdam back in 2006 and follows Ferry Bouman, who now works as an enforcer for drug lord Ralph Brink. Running away from his troubled childhood, Ferry is now a tough guy protecting his boss and doing all the dirty business, including murder.
One day, when their gang is brutally mugged leaving Ralph’s son injured, Ferry is tasked to find those involved. His new task brings him back to a small campsite where he once lived as a child, but he also had to face his estranged family – including his sister who is now suffering from cancer. Also, this is where he happens to meet Danielle with whom he finds comfort and love.
In the whole story, we meet a very eccentric character on screen who at times is an insensate brutal killer and the next moment a man with a heart who cares for his ailing sister and also values love. However simple the story looks, it is the character design of the protagonist that makes the whole experience strangely entertaining, of course, if you are a fan of the crime (gangster) genre.
FERRY is fast-paced, as it hardly gets too much into drama, but just enough to build the emotional connection between characters. Moreover, the script is to the point of establishing what is generally expected from the genre. Also, Frank Lammers with an unlikely villain face once again plays this beautifully as he cruises through the younger version of what we see in “Undercover”, an unscrupulous, tough psychopath. In fact, the age factor of actors has been overlooked in this spin-off or what we can rightly call a prequel to the thrilling crime drama series.
In addition, if for a moment we see it as a standalone film even then FERRY will amuse you as a character study of someone who seems so familiar yet impulsive and menacing with a strange level of savagery. All in consideration, the film is a must-watch.
Director: Cecelia Verheyden
Genre: Crime, Drama
Cast: Frank Lammers, Elise Schaap, Huub Stapel, Monic Hendrickx, Raymond Thiry, Maarten Heijmans, and Yannick van de Velde
Language: English, Dutch
Release Date: May 2021
Streaming Service: Netflix
Where to watch Ferry (2021)
