The Misfortunates

Original title: De helaasheid der dingen

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A thirty-something novelist and impending father looks back on his all-too-formative years in the hapless, alcohol-ridden milieu of his youth in 1980s rural Flanders, Belgium.A thirty-something novelist and impending father looks back on his all-too-formative years in the hapless, alcohol-ridden milieu of his youth in 1980s rural Flanders, Belgium.A thirty-something novelist and impending father looks back on his all-too-formative years in the hapless, alcohol-ridden milieu of his youth in 1980s rural Flanders, Belgium.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

12K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 8 wins & 8 nominations

Trivia
The official Belgian submission for the 2010 Academy Awards.

Goofs
During the drinking games you see beer glasses from the brand Jupiler. These show the new logo which wasn't released before 2005.

Connections
Featured in Horrible Reviews: Best Movies I've Seen In 2021 (2022)

Soundtracks
Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)
Written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson
Performed by Roy Orbison

User reviews14

Review

Featured review

8/10

Harsh Picture

When you think of Belgium, many things might pop to your mind, but certainly not this harsh comedy-drama about the dysfunction that tops all disfunctions. The Strobbes, working (although almost nobody is working),class family consists of 4 loutish sons, stoic mother and the 13-year old son of one of the brothers, with more potential than all of them together. And there is almost nothing else but excessive drinking, and all the things that come with it. Cruelty, violence, hangover and such a waste of both lives and space. This is harsh picture of a family, that doesn't know how else to connect but through getting smashed. The scene that stands out is incredibly hard to watch. When the boys father comes from rehab for a weekend, healthier and stronger, his brothers slowly draw him back to the pit he tried to escape. Strange and disturbing movie, but I have a feeling one that you don't forget soon.