Among Us (2011)

Onder Ons

Directed by: Marco van Geffen

Ewa (Dagmara Bak) arrives from Poland to work as an au pair for Peter (Guy Clemens) and Ilse (Rifka Lodeizen) and their toddler, Stijn.  Difficult to communicate with, she seems reluctant to go out, and becomes increasingly eccentric in her behaviour, despite making friends with another Polish au pair, Aga (Natalia Rybicka).  Eventually, she is dismissed by Peter and Ilse and returns home.

At least that’s their perspective, in this three part narrative from first-time feature director Marco van Geffen.

The second perspective is that of the brash Aga, and we are also introduced to her employer, Anton (Reinout Bussemaker)

In the third segment, related more directly from Ewa’s point of view, we see some of the source of her anxiety.

This is a frustrating film, and that frustration arises from the way the director deliberately withholds information from us.  The three perspective construction feels artificial, and indistinct: each one feels like Ewa’s story but with increasing levels of detail.  But even when we’ve seen all three, we sense there is much more we need to know (about Ewa’s family life, for example).

Disappointing.