Main Cast: Alex Van Warmerdam, Jaap Spijkers, Ariane Schluter, Pierre Bokma, Mark Rietman
Release Year: 2006
Country: NL/BE
Run Time: 100 minutes
Plot
A put-upon, middle-aged waiter whose life seems to be dictated by the writings of his best friend begs the author of his colorless autobiography for a new hue in a film writer, star, and director Alex van Warmerdam's absurdist take on fate, creativity, and power. A virtual human punching bag for his demanding wife, formidable mistress, and boisterous neighbors, Edgar (van Warmerdam) waits tables at a decrepit dive restaurant known as The West. But work offers no escape from the draining demands of his everyday life, because Edgar's customers are just as unrepentantly abusive as his friends and family. Herman (Mark Reitman) is the author in charge of telling the tale of Edgar's miserable existence, but as persistently as the hapless waiter implores the relentless writer for a merciful break in the madness of his life, Herman's sadistic wife Suzie (Thekla Reuten) always seems to steer Edgar's life in the most disagreeable direction possible. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Cast
Alex Van Warmerdam
Jaap Spijkers
Ariane Schluter
Pierre Bokma
Mark Rietman
Thekla Reuten; Lynn Renee; Sylvia Poorta
Credit
Patricia Lim - Costume Designer, Alex Van Warmerdam - Director, Ewin Ryckaert - Editor, Wouter Barendrecht - Executive Producer, Bernard Tulp - Executive Producer, Michael J. Wener - Executive Producer, Vincent van Warmerdam - Composer (Music Score), Gert Brinkers - Production Designer, Tom Erisman - Cinematographer, Marc van Warmerdam - Producer, Dirk Bombey - Sound/Sound Designer, Alex Van Warmerdam - Screenwriter
In January 2007 the film received a Golden Film for the first 100,000 visitors.
Plot
Waiter tells the story of Edgar (Alex van Warmerdam), a waiter with a flair for the unfortunate. His wife is sick, his girlfriend Victoria (Ariane Schluter) is overly possessive, customers at work constantly bully him and his neighbours make his life impossible.
Fed up with the way his life is going, Edgar goes to the house of Herman (Mark Rietman), the scriptwriter who invented Edgar and is currently writing his story. Edgar complains about the events in his life that keep getting worse and begs for some positive events in his life, including a decent girlfriend. Herman decides to create Stella (Line Van Wambeke), but soon Edgar realises that Stella will only complicate his life more. Meanwhile Herman is pestered by his pushy girlfriend Suzie (Thekla Reuten), who constantly tries to change the script. Driven to insanity by Edgar and Suzie constantly trying to interfere with his story, Herman decides to make the story more extreme and violent...
