
Black Book
Seen it?2006 | 145 min | Drama, Thriller, War
Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (77% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and history buffs. If you loved Inglourious Basterds or Conspiracy, start here.
- The mood
- Tense, intense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 25 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- It's in Dutch, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Israel, 1956: Jewish teacher Rachel Stein rather unexpectedly meets an old friend at the kibbutz. It brings back memories of her experiences in the Netherlands during the war, memories of betrayal. In September 1944, Rachel's hiding place is bombed by Allied troops; she makes contact with a resistance member and joins a group of Jews to be smuggled across the Biesbosch to the freed South Netherlands. Only Rachel escapes a massacre by patrol Germans, and is rescued by a resistance group under the leadership of Gerben Kuipers, whose son is captured trying to smuggle weapons. Kuipers asks Rachel to seduce SS-hauptsturmführer Ludwig Müntze, a mission that she will soon learn that the boat attack wasn't a coincidence.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
77% on Rotten Tomatoes, 71 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
2 wins and 3 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$27 million worldwide on a $21 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 140K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Inglourious BasterdsFriday Night FlickAnother much-loved war drama.
ConspiracyFriday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed war drama.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Paul Verhoeven
- Carice van HoutenRachel Stein / Ellis de Vries
- Sebastian KochLudwig Müntze
- Thom HoffmanHans Akkermans
- Halina ReijnRonnie
- Waldemar KobusGünther Franken
- Matthias SchoenaertsJoop
- Derek de LintGerben Kuipers
- Christian BerkelGeneral Käutner
- Dolf de VriesNotary Wim Smaal
- Peter BlokVan Gein