The Voorman Problem or Do you know Belgium?

 ATTENTION PLEASE:

If you haven't seen the film yet be aware that this article contains spoiler!!!!

Lets start with a question this time:

Did you all know that The Voorman Problem, a brilliant short film staring Martin Freeman and Tom Hollander received several awards from all over the world, and an Oscar nomination and a Bafta nomination for best short film?

I think it's time to spread that information around again:D

The Voorman problem a short film directed and written by Mark Gill and Baldwin Li is nothing short but amazing!

Led by two very impressive leads, this film takes you on a road you actually never thought anyone would take, and it is scary and immensely fascinating.

We meet Dr. Williams ( Martin Freeman) when he arrives at a prison to meet Governor Bentley, because it is his very first day at the facility and we soon get to know that Dr. Williams is a psychiatrist, and even he appears very calm and nice somehow, we get the impression that he is self-confident and absolutely convinced of his job and his skills.

And rightly so, because who wants a psychiatrist who does not know what he is doing ?

But it also appears that Bentley is less convinced, and tries to warn Dr. Williams that with his new patient, he is in for a ride.

His new patient is no other than God!

Or at least he thinks he is! 

The patient ( Tom Hollander) straightjacketed but extremely calm and convinced, has an answer to everything, and Dr. Williams to his own surprise, although he hides it well, learns that " God" created this world just nine days ago , which comes a real surprise considering Dr. Williams is already thirty-five years old and has a lot memories to prove it.

But " God" wouldn't be " God" if he hadn't a brilliant explanation.

" I created them"!

Sounds perfectly reasonable...doesn't it ?

Dr. Williams keeps his calm, and I really adore this ability because I would have been confused already.

But " God "still has an ace up his sleeve, or in his case the straight jacket.

And that joker is Belgium!

Yes, you read it correctly, the little country in Europe between France, Luxembourg, and Germany.

To prove or to mess with Dr. Williams he claimed he made Belgium disappear.

And trust me when I tell you, that you have rarely seen a man in straight jacket being so super calm when he explains it to Dr. Williams, who tries to stay distant and interested, but you start to see flickers only flickers of insecurity.

But who would thought that the real problem is still waiting for Dr. Williams when he returns home...

When his wife notices the tension and concern, he tells her about this new patient , and mentions almost sarcastically that " God" was convinced he could have made Belgium disappeared.

Boy is he in for in surprise...

Because his wife has absolutely no idea what Belgium is!

And she is not joking!

Dr. Williams is quite close to losing it, when he is at first confused and then determined to prove her that Belgium exists, by showing her an atlas and the country, but guess what:

There is nothing where Begium should be!

Dr. Williams returns to his patient the next day, bewildered but yet sure there must be a reasonable explanation, because he is a man of science....there has to be!

But it's getting weirder for the poor Doctor.

The second consultation shows the same undisturbed and almost peaceful " God " answering truthfully , that he is only in prison because prison is actually " nice" and he let Belgium disappear because he was bored.

The conversation reaches a new level of alarming information, when " God" explains how wars amuses him.

"  They are comedy gold "  and he chose Dr. Williams because he knew that he is not a religious man, and that it is about time they switch places , and he will be the one who is going home to Williams wife and make her smile.

And here we see rage and anxiety in Dr. Williams eyes, and the disaster strikes a second later...

Never trust a " God" who whistles.

Because after that we see " God" who switched places with Dr. Williams out of nowhere , and suddenly Dr. Williams is the one in straight jacket trying desperately to get out of this situation.

But we all know..." God does not play dice"...

The Voorman Problem mix extraordinary writing with two breathtaking actors.

The whole scenery and atmosphere makes you want to run outside to get a bit of fresh air.

The prison scenes are almost suffocating, and as an audience all you have is the wish to stay close to Dr.Williams because he is the rational conscience in this piece.

Tom Hollander gives you a scary and marvelously refined performance.

He makes you scream internally so many times in just twelve minutes.

 His " God " plays with your mind, and it is extremely confusing , not only when you asking yourself if you have ever been to Belgium.

Lucky for me and my fragile mind I had been there several times....phew!

Dr. Williams on the other hand is our safe haven, for a while at least.

We rely on him, we need his mind to stay focused , for our own sanity.

As long s he has everything under control, we are fine.

But soon enough he is not in control at all.

And like the master of fine and perfectly placed emotions he is, Mr. Freeman shows us, how slowly but constantly this patient takes over the power and the rules.

The brilliant shots and directing gives us the chance to observe patient and doctor in several close ups, and here we see Dr. Williams and his emotions he tries very hard to control.

It's a scary joy to watch.

The ending holds an enormous surprise, and an equally fantastic and full of anxiety and pure desperation performance.

The sheer panic, and realisation in Dr. Williams eyes and posture, as much as it is possible when you are suddenly in a straight jacket, is so breathtaking, frantic and uncomfortable in the best possible way, that you want to applaud him, and run for help!

The Voorman Problem is a remarkable piece of art!