Cool Kids Don't Cry
2012 · Directed by Dennis Bots
Original language: Dutch
- family
- romance
- drama
The story
Tough prime school girl Akkie loves soccer and can be a real bully. Love is the only thing she's scared of. When Akkie is diagnosed with leukemia, she has to fight for her life. On the verge of going to high school, Akkie has to allow love to enter her life, and thus gain courage to accept the inevitable.
What it’s like
Soft, unshowy Dutch naturalism: sunlit school yards and suburban kitchens, handheld camera that stays close to its young cast, and a bright, slightly washed palette that goes cool and sterile once the hospital ward takes over. Daylight does most of the work, with football pitches in flat afternoon sun and pale fluorescent corridors that feel suddenly unfamiliar. The score is gentle and piano-led, rising into swells during the emotional beats rather than hovering constantly. The film moves at the unhurried rhythm of childhood, lingering on small exchanges and quiet glances, then tightening as the illness takes hold. Its vibe is tender and bittersweet, closer to a sad, warm ache than to despair. The intensity is emotional rather than graphic: illness, hospital scenes, and a looming death drive the story, but there is no on-screen gore or violence, and the sexual content is limited to early teenage crushes. Expect tears. For viewers who want a weepy, sincere coming-of-age story about a tough girl learning to be vulnerable, and who are comfortable with terminal illness depicted gently.
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