Mimi Cave‘s feature directorial debut, Fresh, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan, took moviegoers on a morbid, cannibalistic ride when it hit Hulu in 2022, following its Sundance premiere earlier that year. It established Cave as a filmmaker to look out for, therefore putting unavoidable pressure on her follow-up feature. Thankfully, Cave’s sophomore effort, Holland (2025), continues to build upon the director’s keen eye for disturbing visuals juxtaposed against a seemingly ordinary backdrop. While it lacks the ferocity from Cave’s first movie, the irresistible cast and unnerving atmosphere make up for it. Holland is an enthralling suburban thriller that uses familiar genre tropes to its advantage.
Holland centers around Nancy Vandergroot (Nicole Kidman), a local high school teacher and homemaker with a seemingly idyllic suburban life. Nancy has a typical nuclear family, with a young son named Harry, played by Belfast breakout star Jude Hill, and her loving, community pillar husband Fred, played by Matthew Macfadyen (Succession, Deadpool & Wolverine). Filled with pride in her small midwestern town of Holland, Michigan, Nancy is especially happy to maintain and uphold the high expectations Fred has for her as both a housewife and an independent, hard-working woman.
Nancy’s curious nature soon turns a case of a missing earring into a full-blown investigation of her husband’s lucrative career as an optometrist and supposed “out-of-town work conferences.” She even gets her fellow teacher, Dave Delgado, played by Gael García Bernal (Werewolf by Night, Coco), to assist in uncovering the truth about what Fred really does when he goes out of town. It’s a simple premise that becomes so much more engaging because of how audiences are put right into the perspective of Nancy, who grows increasingly distressed, zany, and unpredictable throughout her private investigation.
Nancy’s psyche is conveyed through perplexing dream sequences and imagery of picture-perfect suburbia. This metaphor isn’t exactly subtle, but it nonetheless accentuates the creepiness of the town and Nancy’s subconscious feeling that something is deeply wrong with her life. Director Mimi Cave makes a compelling narrative choice in how she frames Nancy breaking free of Fred’s expectations. Additionally, the main mystery at hand is given enough time to simmer with the audience, creating tense thrills as one wonders when Nancy will get caught by either her elusive husband or any of the citizens of Holland who all know each other.
Speaking of which, the quiet suburban town setting of Holland, Michigan, is a character in and of itself. Filled with tulip fields, windmills, and Dutch-inspired architecture and aesthetics, Holland is an interesting concept of an all-American community where everyone not only knows each other but is also in each other’s private business. The film’s supporting cast genuinely makes Holland feel like a breathing, lived-in city. Furthermore, Andrew Sodroski’s script includes some interesting commentary on the tragic human flaws that are bound to rise (or stay hidden) in a town of this nature. It quickly brings to mind David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, though it’s nowhere near as thought-provoking.
Courtesy of Prime Video
Nicole Kidman (Babygirl, The Perfect Couple) anchors Holland by fully playing up the hammy nature of her character. Nancy initially seems like she’s stuck in another decade with her mannerisms, vernacular, and the overall way she carries herself. It isn’t until the small-town paranoia and distrust that Kidman slowly modernizes her performance while still being a charming lead who is easy to root for in this mostly conventional plot. Gael García Bernal does a great job as Kidman’s partner-in-crime, Dave, and his loyalty and dedication to Nancy is a pleasant reversal of the gender roles that were once expected of the thriller genre decades ago.
Holland has its fair share of hilarious moments as well, from Nicole Kidman’s extremely quirky reactions to Gael García Bernal’s awkwardness in the middle of an insane situation. For the most part, the screenplay keeps a lighter tone despite the darker underpinnings of its story. However, the second half features a big reveal that becomes a sobering moment for both characters, and Holland reveals the true terrors hiding underneath its suburban pastiche.
Matthew Macfadyen’s character, Fred Vandergroot, is physically imposing, though one would never guess so because of how he carries and presents himself throughout the movie. A sinister and controlling individual is hidden behind his old-fashioned chivalry and dedicated optometry practice. Fred’s mind games and manipulation of Nancy is where Mimi Cave is at her best, with sharp direction that lifts the tension to incredible levels despite nothing dangerous or inherently scary happening on screen. The unease, distrust, and brokenness are all unspoken, making viewers themselves want to push further to uncover the dark secrets everyone knows are there.
Courtesy of Prime Video
It’s unfortunate that after all the shocking revelations and thrilling set pieces, there is still plenty of runtime left. It’s in this regard that Holland struggles towards the finish line. There are plenty of interesting aspects of Nicole Kidman’s Nancy to explore following her entirely new status quo. However, the movie trudges along as it wraps up with a rushed epilogue that is almost a repeat of the previous fake-out climax.
Compared to Fresh (2022), Mimi Cave’s Holland is more conventional in its story yet ambitious in its production. The stacked cast and alluring visuals hint at a complex narrative at its core, though that isn’t really the case. Holland plays it fairly safe, making it a very entertaining watch at times, with little more to remember after all is said and done. Mimi Cave showcases impressive directorial skills and a knack for provocative imagery, but the script ends up holding the film back from being something truly special and subversive.
Holland premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival and hits Prime Video on March 27!
Release Date: March 27, 2025.
Directed by Mimi Cave.
Written by Andrew Sodroski.
Produced by Nicole Kidman, Kate Churchill, Peter Dealbert, & Per Saari.
Executive Producers: Andrew Sodroski & Bart Lipton.
Main Cast: Nicole Kidman, Gael García Bernal, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, Rachel Sennott, Lennon Parham, Isaac Krasner, Jeff Pope, Jacob Moran, & Bill Russell.
Cinematographer: Pawel Pogorzelski.
Composer: Alex Somers.
Production Company: Amazon MGM Studios, Blossom Films, Pacific View Management & Productions, 42, & Churchill Films.
Distributor: Amazon Prime Video.
Runtime: 108 minutes.
Rated R.
