It was the perfect crime until they got away with it.|Mar. 12, 2015|Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, United States|95 Min.|R
Genre: Action;Crime;Drama;Mystery;Thriller
Description: “Kidnapping Mr. Heineken” is a 2015 film set in 1983, primarily in Amsterdam. It follows five Dutch friends—Willem Holleeder, Cor van Hout, Jan Boellard, Martin Erkamps, and Frans Meijer—who, in search of easy money, plot to kidnap Freddy Heineken, the owner of Heineken International, for a hefty ransom. Although they successfully capture Heineken and his driver, their lack of criminal experience leads to complications. Negotiations with the police fail, and Cor, concerned for his pregnant wife, Sonja, grows increasingly conflicted. After Heineken’s release by the police, Willem and Cor flee to Paris to evade capture. However, Cor’s emotional decision to call Sonja jeopardizes their safety, leading to their eventual arrest by French authorities. Notably, the film claims Freddy Heineken died in 2003, though he actually passed away in 2002.
The film, titled “Kidnapping Freddy Heineken” in the U.S., is a British-Dutch crime drama directed by Daniel Alfredson. Based on the 1987 book by Peter R. de Vries, the screenplay was written by William Brookfield. Anthony Hopkins stars as Freddy Heineken, with Sam Worthington as Willem Holleeder, Jim Sturgess as Cor van Hout, and Ryan Kwanten, Thomas Cocquerel, and Mark van Eeuwen rounding out the cast.
“Kidnapping Mr. Heineken” received largely negative reviews. It holds a 33/100 score on Metacritic and a 19% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics described it as a generic crime drama, with *The Los Angeles Times* commenting that despite its true-story origins, the film succumbs to B-movie clichés. *Variety* criticized it as an uninspired international co-production driven more by financial incentives than artistic merit.
Cast director: Willem de Beukelaer
Cast actor: Anthony Hopkins, Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthington, Ryan Kwanten, Mark van Eeuwen, Thomas Cocquerel, Jemima West, David Dencik, Vera Van Dooren, Kat Lindsay
Original name: Kidnapping Mr. Heineken