Amazon Prime Video released “Holland” on Thursday, March 27, a psychological-thriller set in West Michigan starring critically-acclaimed actress Nicole Kidman. Following the film’s debut, it quickly gained attention for its star-studded cast, unconventional storytelling and use of the quaint, small-town Holland, Michigan as its main setting.
“Holland” follows teacher and homemaker Nancy Vandergroot and her friend Dave Delgado, played by Gael García Bernal, as the pair unravels a dark secret about Vandergroot’s husband. Soon enough, despite Vandergroot’s picture-perfect family and idyllic suburban lifestyle, darkness soon befalls.
“Every day, I get to wake up in the best place on Earth: Holland, Michigan,” says Kidman’s character, Vandergroot, in the film’s opening sequence.
Despite the majority of filming being done in Nashville and Clarksville, Tennessee, the film included a handful of nods to Holland’s heritage, such as the beloved Tulip Time Festival and parades, Windmill Restaurant and Holland High School. The brief shots that were done in Michigan were filmed at the Windmill Island Garden, home of the 251-year-old De Zwaan Windmill, which happens to be the only authentic, working Dutch windmill in the United States.
In early March, the film premiered at the South by SouthWest film festival in Austin, Texas, where the cast took pictures alongside miniatures of notable Holland iconography such as its Peanut Store and De Zwaan Windmill. Shortly before the movie’s digital release, a free, one-night screening was held on Monday, March 24 for Holland residents. The screening was followed by a Q&A session with the film’s director, Mimi Cave, and was hosted by Holland Mayor Nathan Brooks.
Still, “Holland” has received mixed reviews from audience members and it currently only has a 23% on Rotten Tomatoes and 5/10 on IMDb. The reasons behind its lukewarm reception vary, as many viewers have pinpointed its writing, plot and direction for why the film fell flat.
“It’s an interesting premise with an all-American family living in Holland, Michigan that has some deep, dark secrets, but it doesn’t quite all come together in an interesting way,” said a Rotten Tomatoes user named David F.
Faith Hutson, a senior in Grand Valley State University’s film and video production program watched the movie’s trailer, and was intrigued.
“From the trailer, it looked visually interesting and really colorful,” said Hutson. “I personally haven’t really seen any of the reviews (but) the only reason I can think of (for why) it may have fallen flat for some people is simply because it’s a horror movie shot in Holland. (The city) doesn’t really give horror.”
Nevertheless, a feature-film centered around West Michigan and its inclusion of prominent actors and actresses could possibly be a promising advancement for the expansion of West Michigan’s local film industry and movies set in the area.
“I think having big names is definitely a step in the right direction, as fans of certain actors will definitely be drawn to it and more likely to watch,” Hutson said.
