“Bullhead”  is a film from Belgium directed by Michaël R. Roskam.

Bullhead is an R rated crime drama directed and written by Michael Roskam. It is hard hitting and stunning, telling a breathtaking, emotionally driven tragedy of a rancher who is caught in a vicious cycle of conflicting desires and destiny. This film has won many awards including Best Actor at the Palm Spring International Film Festival 2012. It will shock and mesmerize. The Protagonist, Jacky Vanmarsenille, a cattle rancher continually pumped on steroids gets into a compromising deal with a ruthless mafiosa meat trader. Murder, demons from the past and law enforcement agents descend upon Jacky.  He is forced to set out on a road of revenge. Circumstances often seem out of his control as fate and destiny come into play. Director Michael Roskam has been listed as one of the “10 Directors to Watch”.  Actor Matthias Schoenaerts, is the winner of the “New Auteurs Audience Award”.  Their performances in Bullhead are memorable and riveting.

Michael Roskam became intrigued by the unusual and surprising synergy of gangster and farmer. Smashing preconceived ideas of how farmers conduct their business, this film is a hard-hitting crime drama also filled with the usual suspects, the unrelenting cop, corrupt officials/politicians and the ubiquitous and violent gangsters. Roskam adds the interesting twist of childhood friends who end up twenty years later on opposite sides.  Roskam admittedly owes a debt to the film noir, and his inspiration to directors Michael Mann and the Coen brothers. This is Michael Roskam’s first feature film.

M Romano