Overview
A chaotic family saga unfolds in a forgotten hamlet where mischief reigns supreme.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- grotesque
- melancholic
- arthouse movie night
- dark comedy evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an energetic and sharply observed blend of vulgar humor, working-class family dysfunction, and coming-of-age feeling, though its roughness was not universally persuasive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Gunther’s intelligence and better intentions repeatedly collide with the alcoholism, irresponsibility, and public notoriety of the Strobbe men.
Drinking contests, gambling, sexual irresponsibility, domestic squalor, and humiliating mishaps are presented with both crude humor and human warmth.
The fictional hamlet of Reetveerdegem and nearby industrial Aalst are defined by dereliction, dead-end work, debt, and limited opportunities.
Gunther’s opportunities are sabotaged by the Strobbe family’s established reputation for mischief and irresponsibility.
Films like The Misfortunates, and why
The Acid House
shared darkly comic family dysfunction, alcoholism, provincial alienation, and a young protagonist seeking escape
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers
shared abrasive humor, troubled working-class families, adolescent perspective, and emotional undercurrents beneath vulgar comedy
The Broken Circle Breakdown
shared Belgian social realism, dysfunctional family dynamics, bleak humor, and coming-of-age tension
In Bruges
shared grotesque ensemble comedy, reckless male behavior, provincial stagnation, and a tonal blend of vulgarity and tenderness
Movie Details
- Director
- Felix van Groeningen
- Release Date
- 2009-10-07
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (230)
Cast
- Kenneth Vanbaeden
- Valentijn Dhaenens
- Koen De Graeve
- Wouter Hendrickx
- Johan Heldenbergh
- Bert Haelvoet
- Gilda De Bal
- Natali Broods
- Pauline Grossen
- Sofie Palmers
Common questions
- What is The Misfortunates about?
- A sharp, tenderly vulgar Flemish family dramedy about a gifted boy trying to outgrow the reckless men whose chaos defines his home.
- What is The Misfortunates like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Misfortunates as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Misfortunates violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Misfortunates.
- What did critics think of The Misfortunates?
- Critics broadly found the film an energetic and sharply observed blend of vulgar humor, working-class family dysfunction, and coming-of-age feeling, though its roughness was not universally persuasive.
- Which films are like The Misfortunates?
- Films with a similar feel include The Acid House, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, The Broken Circle Breakdown, and In Bruges.
- How long is The Misfortunates?
- The Misfortunates runs 108 minutes.
