The Dutchman (2025) – Review and Summary

The Dutchman, as it explores the trappings and fears of one man, one culture, and how it is passed down, wavers between impactful and what can feel like rambling.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted on Hours Updated on

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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“The Dutchman” Film Details

  • Director(s): Andre Gaines
  • Writer(s): Qasim Basir, Andre Gaines
  • Based On Work By: Amiri Baraka
  • Distributor: Rogue Pictures
  • Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 28 Minutes
  • Public Release Date (In Theaters): January 1, 2026
  • Genre(s): Drama, Thriller
  • Content Rating: Rated R
  • Primary Language: English

Movie Summary

Clay’s life is in flux. While successful in his career, fairly recently, he learned that, because of the work and time that allowed and was required for his success, his wife, Kaya, thought he was cheating. With that in mind, she had a one-night stand, and now the two are in marriage counseling with Dr. Amiri.

It doesn’t go well for while Clay is open to therapy, he feels Dr. Amiri is taking Kaya’s side and pushing Clay to do something, to change, and that is when “The Dutchman” book comes out, and Clay goes from thinking about his wife to this woman he meets on the train named Lula. She is a wild card, intense, plays up racial issues like it is foreplay, and Clay, while book smart, stupidly finds himself allured by Lula.

This led him to make a regrettable decision, and now he fears that the only end to this is him losing everything.

Cast and Characters

Clay (André Holland)

  • Character Summary: Clay is well off, lives in a brownstone-type building with his wife, and is helping to run, or at least fundraise, for a friend’s political campaign, but it appears, in pursuit of success, accolades, and things like that, he has let his marriage become secondary.

Kaya (Zazie Beetz)

  • Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
  • Character Summary: Kaya is Clay’s equal, though the film doesn’t speak to much about her accomplishments, but does make it clear that she isn’t above tit for tat, and she longs for her marriage to be in a better place.

Lula (Kate Mara)

  • Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
  • Character Summary: Chaos personified, Lula is like your most twisted fantasy come to life, while carrying all your biggest fears in their pocketbook.

Dr. Amiri (Stephen McKinley Henderson)

  • Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
  • Character Summary: Dr. Amiri is Kaya and Clay’s marriage counselor, who, despite Clay feeling like he is on Kaya’s side, actually likes Clay and sees himself in him. Hence, him offering tools like “The Dutchman” to help Clay navigate the situation he is in/ he gets himself into.

What To Expect In “The Dutchman” (Rated R) – Content Overview

  • Dialog:
    • Cursing: Occasional
  • Graphic Imagery or Violence:
    • Gore/ Blood/ Body Horror: Mild (Context: Bleeding)
    • Notable Violence: Intense Fight Scene(s)
  • Sexual Content:
    • Implied Nudity: Sexual (Context: Chest)
    • Sexual Situations: Implied
  • Miscellaneous:
    • Drinking: Yes

Review and Commentary

Highlight(s)

Clay’s Fear and Excitement [84/100]

There are a lot of (boring) men who think a wild and crazy woman is what they need, would be hot to be with, but they don’t seem to fully comprehend what that woman needs and finds hot. With the dynamic between Clay and Lula, you get the sense she likes that he is well-to-do, stable, married, and he is someone who wants to get his lick back after his wife cheated.

Yet, it is also clear here that she isn’t just crazy in the sheets, but in the streets, and nonetheless, here he is entertaining her. It’s a game of pushing boundaries, and it’s like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, with the line being pushed repeatedly back until Clay goes off a cliff.

Thing is, he wants to leap, he wants to fall, and wants that adrenaline rush. But what wasn’t factored into this fantasy that fell into his lap was the crash. Yet, even as Lula acts erratically, threatening even, it seemingly only adds to the excitement; it keeps him on his toes, so as much as he fears Lula, there is this turn on.

Add in Kaya being jealous, and it’s like a Dom/Sub relationship, but slowly but surely, Clay is realizing the safe word is being ignored. So the high, the pleasure, which came from potentially blowing up his life, becomes real.

How It Plays Up Clay’s Fears, If Not The Fears Which Can Come From Being In An Interracial (BM/WM) Relationship [82/100]

There are times when it feels like The Dutchman, while the source material is older than Get Out, that they are family. Whether cousins or brothers, it doesn’t matter, but there is this presentation of some of Clay’s worst fears, and maybe many a Black man, if not person of color’s fears. Be it being sexualized, falsely accused, manipulated, and more, the feeling of being someone’s puppet, a plaything, is on display.

Then, to make things worse, there is that conflict which comes from Lula having at least a superficial understanding of racism, how slavery gave birth to the staples of American and world media, and even code-switching and respectability politics. Yet, she teases, sometimes outright insults Clay, like calling him something akin to a dirty White man because of how he dresses, how he moves through the world, and more.

And you see, Clay, slowly realizing this isn’t a game, but truly a demented woman who is discovering all his buttons, pushing each one to try to see how he’ll react. Then, when things get too much for her, and he either doesn’t want to play or seemingly could get the upper hand, all she has to do is scream, weaponize her being a White woman, to start the game over again.

It’s really wild to watch, and as much as Clay seems like a dumbass for even letting Lula take things so far, it feels foolish to believe many a man like him hasn’t set aside his common sense due to being curious if a situation could end in his favor.

On The Fence

At Times, It Can Feel Like It Is Spiraling To The Point Of Rambles [74/100]

One of the things pushed by multiple characters when speaking about Clay’s life, if not Black men, or people in general, is precedent – specifically the prologue. There is this push and pull between celebrating the greatness that came from slavery and struggle, while acknowledging what it did and how it still affects people in modern times.

At first, it’s fine, but then you have Lula bastardize history in order to make weak points to get a reaction out of not only Clay, but also other Black people. Then you have Clay go on what feels like a word-for-word monologue from the play, where he crashes out in a way that is understandable, considering the night he has had, but also out of place for the character.

And mind you, this is a psychological movie where you could question how much of this is all in Clay’s head. However, towards the end, it feels like it is running out of steam, and with what is left, it decides to max out all it has until it eventually peters out.

Overall

Our Rating (80/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)

The Dutchman, for a movie a little less than 90 minutes, can feel heavy. Its theme of racial dynamics, infidelity, and a litany of others, which could easily become think pieces, all present compelling ideas. However, there comes a point where you may feel that none of those ideas can really be wrapped up in the way desired, so the audience is left to continue the conversation.

But, with there being points you may need to question if it was about making a conversation as much as getting a rise out of the audience, that is what leads to The Dutchman getting a positive ranking, but being right on the cusp of being divisive.

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Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been reviewing media since 2010. He approaches each production with hope, rooting for every story to succeed, and believes criticism should come from unmet potential, while praise is reserved for work that meets or exceeds expectations.