Relentlessly paced, with the volatile ferocity of a rabid pitbull, "Schneider vs. Bax" is, above all else, pretty damn funny. That's if you're into Alex van Warmerdam's distinctive brand of humor. He strikes me as the kind of surgeon who would wear a clown nose while preforming a life-or-death operation, just to lighten up the mood in the room. It's this kind of dark, caustic drollness that takes center stage in the Dutch director's absurd comedy of errors about two hitmen pitted against one another. More playful, but less compelling, than his previous film — the endlessly engrossing "Borgman" — this latest picture won't make too many lasting impressions, but it's a helluva ride in the moment.
It's Tuesday, and Schneider (Tom Dewispelaere) is awakened by his lovely wife Lucy (Loes Haverkort) and two young adorable daughters singing him "Happy Birthday." He barely gets a word in edgewise before his handler Mertens (Gene Bervoets) calls...
