Sjabbos: A Quiet Watch That Sticks With You

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that just let people be, then sure, give it a go. But if you need a fast pace, you are going to hate this. It feels like watching someone’s day unfold in real-time, which can be either super meditative or just plain dull depending on your mood.

I honestly didn't know what to expect going in. There’s something about the way Jan Teunissen carries himself that makes you stop scrolling on your phone and actually pay attention.

Oddly specific observations

There’s a scene near the middle where he’s just moving a glass across a table. It lasts way too long. I found myself counting the seconds, wondering if the camera operator just forgot to cut.

It’s weirdly hypnotic, though. It’s got a different energy than The Missing Passport, which felt a lot more frantic.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sjabbos (1932) through its definitive frames.

The lighting is dim, almost like they were afraid to turn on a lamp. I kind of liked that. It felt like I was sitting in the room with him, trying not to make a sound.

• Jan Teunissen looks like he hasn't slept in three days.
• The sound of the floorboards creaking is louder than the dialogue sometimes.
• There is one shot of a window that I’m still thinking about, even if I don't know why.

It definitely doesn’t have the polish of Tourists De Luxe. It’s rougher, more like a sketch than a finished painting. Sometimes that’s better.

I kept waiting for some big reveal that never really came. Maybe that’s the point? Life doesn't always have a plot twist waiting around the corner, does it? ☕

Don't expect everything to get tied up with a nice bow. You’ll walk away with more questions than answers, but at least it didn't feel like a factory-made product. It felt human, for better or worse.