The New Rijksmuseum

One might expect a documentary about the Netherlands' premier national museum to concentrate on its masterpieces, such as Rembrandt's The Night Watch. But while filmmaker Oeke Hoogendijk affords tantalizing glimpses of such pieces, they are often being moved, prepared for display, or undergoing restoration. The film instead focuses on the countless delays tied to the institution's renovation, which began in 2003 with an expected timeframe of a couple of years but dragged on for nearly a decade. Obstacles include construction-related problems, staff debates about interior arrangements, and budgetary setbacks, but most of the roadblocks here are bureaucratic and political. Intervention by governmental cultural agencies occasionally causes setbacks, but the real major snafu involves angry protests by Amsterdam's bicycle enthusiasts over plans for a new entrance. The cyclists oppose a design that will interfere with their traditional path through the main building's central courtyard. In 2008, the museum's director resigns, and his successor is left to deal with the matter. The frustration also extends to some staff, although dedicated curators are shown still trying to add to their collections as the process drags on. Hoogendijk's fly-on-the-wall access makes for an intriguing portrait of people struggling with the sorts of issues confronting many public institutions nowadays, although not usually to this extreme. The film ends with the 2013 reopening of the Rijksmuseum, which is presented as a grand celebration, but is truly the result of 10 years of exasperation. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)