“You’re always f*cked.” That’s the concluding phrase of the opening piece of dialogue in Michael R. Roskam’s Oscar nominated film Bullhead, and it’s one that clearly defines the tone of the film.
Bullhead is an emotional ride about a cattle farmer named Jacky Venmarsenille who is constantly pumping himself up with hormones and steroids. As a member of the Belgian bovine hormone mafia [they inject cows and such with illegal growth hormones], Jacky gets himself involved in a shady deal with a powerful meat Mafioso and all of a sudden a federal agent is killed. From that moment on, things begin to spiral out of control which includes the sudden appearance of a childhood infatuation of his and the discovery that his former best friend is a police informer. Bullhead is Jacky’s tale of revenge and redemption.
First off, this is one powerful film! Roskam’s directorial debut couldn’t be stronger as he manages to make the story of a testosterone fueled cattle farmer interesting. What I admire about his picture is that he took a story, which could have easily been made a thriller, and turned it into an extremely slow burning drama that engulfs you from the start.
The film may be 126 minutes but I personally was lost inside the movie right from the get go, similar to the way in which Drive grabbed my attention. For the first 40 minutes, Roskam keeps you guessing as to what’s wrong with Jacky but then out of nowhere he flips your world upside down, makes your jaw drop and has you squirming in your chair bringing complete clarity to Jacky’s situation with one long fainting groan.
The real treat for the audience members though is watching Matthias Schoenaerts performance as Jacky. He is quiet yet domineering, an adolescent trapped in a strong man’s body, and he is essentially the titular “bullhead” as his personality matches that of the animals he works on. He’s the kind of guy who can only find solace when he’s alone in his bathroom, the common sanctuary of a man. As you watch his performance you continually wonder why he is so quiet especially since he is constantly on some sort of testosterone based drug. There is a powerful flashback scene [mentioned 
above] with Jacky and his best friend Diedenk as children and something awful happens to Jack. SPOILER He seems up it all up later in the movie by saying “I haven’t got what I’m supposed to have” which is why he is terrified to approach women, engage in sexual activity and is the main reason why he rightly juices up on the regular. END SPOILER.
For some, the film’s snail-like pace can turn you off especially if you don’t feel a connection to the film, something that may happen if you’re a woman. The length of the film won’t help its case for impatient people either, but if you can muster up the willpower to sit for 126 minutes I promise the culmination of events in the final 25-35 minutes will make your time sitting well worth it, because it is in that time span that we see Jacky turn from a boy into a real man.
Bullhead is a triumphant film that’s made complete by a brutally intense performance from Matthias Schoenaerts along with its original and thought provoking story which is guided masterfully by writer/director Michael R. Roskam. The Belgian candidate for Best Foreign Film at this year’s Oscars will receive a limited theatrical run in New York, Austin and LA from Drafthouse Films beginning on February 17th. Block off next
Rating: A phenomenal film that you shouldn’t miss (8.5/10)
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