Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Kidnapping Freddy Heineken certainly lacks fizzle telling a true story set in Amsterdam in 1983. A group of friends who are builders fallen on hard times are turned down for a bank loan and decide on an outrageous plan to kidnap the head of the Heineken beer group.They take Freddie Heineken (Anthony Hopkins) and his driver holding them hostage in specially built cells and issuing a massive ransom demand. The ransom is delivered but then their problems begins. The getaway with the money is not meticulously planned and their lack of experience as criminals backfires on them such as the desire to phone loved ones or feeling guilty about the crime.Hopkins delivers a glorified cameo and like a wounded lion, shouts and screams with random outbursts and demands Chinese food, music and books. He is also worried that his chauffeur also being held in the next room is expendable.The rest of the actors, Sam Worthington, Jim Sturgess put in bland performances because the script is so flat. Worthington does have one scene in a dress for some weird reason.Director Daniel Alfredson directs with a lack of verve and urgency. The film does have one sequence of a car chase in Amsterdam which is impressive as they not only had to clear out all the tourists and install period details of the early 1980s. It would had been better such effort had been expended on the rest of the movie.

Fact more strange than fiction Peter R. de Vries both participated in and wrote the book about this true story from 1983 and collaborated on the screenplay with William Brookfield for this non-stop rousing caper film with a very bright young cast of actors directed by Daniel Alfredson. The film is well made, well photographed, well scored with an excellent musical selection and arrangement, and very well acted by a fine cast of young actors. In 1983, a group of childhood friends - Cor van Hout (Jim Sturgess), Willem Holleeder (Sam Worthington_ Jan 'Cat' Boellard (Ryan Kwanten), Frans 'sSpikes' Meijer (Mark van Weuwen), Martin 'Brakes' Erkmpps (Thomas Cocquerel) - pulled off the crime of the century: kidnapping one of the richest men in the world, the heir of the Heineken beer empire (Anthony Hopkins). The shocking capture --by gunpoint in broad daylight on the streets of Amsterdam--resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for a kidnapped individual. It was truly the perfect crime…until they got away with it. This is the inside story of the planning, execution, rousing aftermath and ultimate downfall of the kidnappers which resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for an individual. For a fast moving credible caper, this is a fine film, never letting down for a moment.

Amsterdam 1982, the recession has hit hard. A group of friends and builders are down on their luck and are refused a bank loan. It's spokesman Cor van Hout proposes an outrageous plan, to kidnap local millionaire, the successful Freddy Heineken. The group test the waters by carrying out a bank heist, then carry out the daring dead, taking Heineken and his driver, holding them hostage, issuing a huge ransom demand. Cracks appear in their unit, and their family lives suffer too.Most of the positives surround Hopkins, he gives a masterclass in acting, his performance is understated and yet believable. Some of the best scenes in the movie revolve around his demands for Chinese food, books, Schubert etc, it's very random but enjoyable.One entertaining moment when the team realise they've left the ransom note in a photocopier nearby.Sadly the film didn't keep my attention, it's the kind of film you'll need a crossword or Sudoku puzzle. Unfortunately it is quite boring, the plot was a good one, I think possibly had some humour been added to it that may have helped, as a thriller it just doesn't work, there's no tension or drama caused, you never feel at any point that the gang truly mean business.As for the accents, some of them wanted to go Dutch, some of them didn't, it felt inconsistent.It could have been so good. I've only seen a trailer for the Dutch production, but that seems to have the atmosphere that was needed, this production is sadly a week old unwanted glass of Heineken, FLAT.5/10

I gave up on this movie about 10 minutes in, solely because of the frenetic cuts (eg 1 second of footage between cuts) added to extremely shaky hand-held camera and "everyone talking / yelling at once" action...I am willing to accept that this is an "artistic" choice by the director/editor..... but it drove me to screaming "HOLD THE F#$%^ CAMERA STILL" at the screen after 10 minutes..if this technique doesn't bug you, you may well enjoy the movie.. I'll never know ... :^)I didn't get to see sir anthony at all ..