Andre Van Duren latest Netflix thriller is an honest film in the sense that it doesn't pretend to be one of the super-elaborate and expensive movies of the same genre, eventually succeeding in its main goal that is to entertain the audience. Van Duren has plenty of experience in the genre as he has directed several eminent Dutch crime TV shows such as Van der Valk, Amsterdam Vice, and De 12 Van Schouwendam, all production that rolled in the native audience while some of them even got international distribution. Thus, the seasoned Dutch director knows first-hand the most enticing themes and tropes of thrillers and he utilizes almost each and every one of them in Faithfully Yours. Even though the final result may feel more like a collage of clichés rather than an autonomous creation in terms of screenplay and plot, the consecutive twists that pound the audience even before the midpoint of the film's runtime manage to keep the viewers glued on their seats in order to watch where this story is finally heading. It is not a lengthy movie -its full runtime is under 90 minutes- and that adds to the solidity of the plot that moves forward at a -relatively- fast pace.
The story kicks off with Bodil (Bracha van Doesburgh) and her close friend Isabelle (Elise Schaap) embarking on a train to Ostend, presumably to spend some relaxed time away from their respective husbands, Milan (Nasrdin Dchar) and Luuk (Gijs Naber) staying behind. However, the two men are unaware of the fact that the frequent expeditions of their wives hide a sneaky scheme in order for the two of them to indulge in meaningless extramarital affairs that rarely last for more than a night or two. Things take a pretty nasty turn when Isabelle goes missing and the police opens an investigation for her case, initially a missing person inquiry that soon transforms into a full-blown homicide investigation after Isabelle's phone is found and one of the photos stored there depicts Isabelle dead with her throat cut by a piano string. Bodil will find herself in a tough predicament as she has to balance on a fragile equilibrium between keeping her secrets safe and finding Isabelle's murderer.
If there is a morale to the story, it certainly revolves around the potential devastating consequences of lies that possess the power to eradicate even the strongest of relationships, especially after the bitter truth is eventually revealed. However, there is no hint of didactic intention by the director who simply desires to create an easy-to-watch crime/thriller that is worth of the audience's time and attention. This unpretentious nature of the movie is also its strongest merit while the other aspects of the production such as cinematography, performances, and screenplay, whilst not reaching the highest of standards as set by the most popular American and European interpretations of the genre, they remain at a satisfying level at least for the not-so-demanding members of the audience. It is certainly not one of the best Netflix thrillers of the last few months, watch the Danish Loving Adults to grasp the significance of nuanced storytelling, it continues to constitute a solid choice if you want to spend the next hour and a half watching something that doesn't demand more than it actually provides.