Johan has been locked up ‘at her Majesty’s pleasure’ – wrongly in his opinion – for the murder of his father and little sister. His mother is the only one who can prove his innocence, but he hasn’t been able to contact her for years. When he is transferred within the psychiatric prison to the long-stay department, it’s the last straw. He decides to escape and to go looking for his mother. However the police is soon on his trail and in a desperate attempt to escape them, he kidnaps a passerby, 13-year-old Tessa. Together with her, he sets off on the quest for his mother. Like his great example Martin Scorsese, Pieter Kuijpers is fascinated by the thin line between good and evil. The ambiguous character of Johan, played beautifully by the cabaret artist Theo Maassen, even manages to evoke sympathy in the audience. Kuijpers concentrates on Johan’s inner conflicts, without the film losing any of its excitement. The difficult role of the very young Lisa Smit is also impressive. Kuijpers wrote the role in this film especially for this young actress, who previously played the leading role in Kuijpers’ film De griezelbus. Nothing To Lose is an oppressive, worrying and stylishly directed drama, beautifully shot by Kuijpers’ regular cameraman Bert Pot, who gave the film a convincing, realistic appearance with an important role for locations on or by the water. (JJ)
