What Is New Kids Turbo About?
The premise of New Kids Turbo in 342 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the quiet, flat‑land village of Maaskantje, a sudden economic downturn leaves a tight‑knit circle of five friends without work. Confronted with empty paychecks and a welfare system that seems to offer little relief, they make a bold, if reckless, pact: they will stop paying for anything. This premise sets the stage for a darkly comic exploration of desperation, camaraderie, and the thin line between protest and chaos in a town where everyday life suddenly feels absurdly high‑stakes.
At the heart of the story are Gerrie, Richard, Rikkert, Robby, and Barrie, each a caricature of Dutch working‑class life gone awry. Gerrie is the reluctant leader whose habit of arriving late masks a deeper yearning for control. Richard brings a canine sidekick and a dry wit that often masks his underlying insecurity. Rikkert balances a stubborn pride with an almost childlike optimism, while Robby supplies a steady, if quietly cynical, counterpoint. Barrie, the unofficial wild card, fuels the group’s impulsive energy with his unconventional living situation and penchant for mischief. Together, their chemistry crackles, turning simple disagreements into farcical spectacles that feel both relatable and hyper‑exaggerated.
The film’s tone is unapologetically irreverent, mixing slapstick moments with a biting satirical edge that skewers both the bureaucracy of government assistance and the characters’ own lack of direction. The rustic backdrop of Maaskantje, with its narrow streets and modest storefronts, becomes a stage where ordinary concerns—bills, jobs, friendships—are magnified into larger questions about responsibility and rebellion. The cinematography leans into the stark, low‑key lighting of a small Dutch town, while the soundtrack pulses with energetic, bass‑heavy beats that underscore the characters’ restless momentum.
As the friends stare down their unfinished futures, the story teases the audience with the promise of escalating antics and uncertain consequences. Their pact, rooted in frustration and a desire for agency, hints at a journey that will test the limits of their loyalty and force them to confront the very structures they chose to defy, all while maintaining a lively, off‑kilter humor that keeps the mood as unpredictable as the villagers themselves.
What Happens in New Kids Turbo?
The complete story of New Kids Turbo, from the first scene to the last, in 914 words (about 4 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 8 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Set in the small village of Maaskantje in North Brabant, a tight-knit circle of friends — Gerrie, Richard, Rikkert, Robbie and Barrie — watches their lives derail as they all lose their jobs. They convince themselves their troubles stem from the 2008 financial crisis, but the story quietly hints that their own idleness, lack of common sense, and chronic lateness are the real culprits behind their downslide. It’s a portrait of casual irresponsibility that spirals as the characters repeatedly demonstrate poor judgment in everyday moments: [Gerrie] arrives late to work and accidentally drives the forks of his forklift into a pallet of boxed plasma screen televisions; [Richard] brings his old bulldog to the workplace, who proceeds to gnaw on and snap the supervisor’s shovels; and [Rikkert] is dismissed by a bitter, sarcastic garage owner who sounds the alarm about a broken system.
Tensions outside work seep into home life as well. [Gerrie] is expelled from his mother’s house after an attempted purse theft, while [Rikkert] ends his relationship with Manuela, and Barrie’s home, which doubles as an illegal cannabis farm, catches fire. The trio seek refuge at the home shared with [Richard] and [Robbie], and soon the five friends embark on a spree that hinges on someone footing the bill. When refueling [Rikkert]’s Opel Manta, their bank card is rejected, and their plan to rely on [Richard]’s money falters.
A visit to the local employment office reveals a harsher reality: the benefits agency refuses to provide more aid. In a bold, reckless moment, [Richard] climbs over the desk and shoves the official against the wall, shouting, > Give us more money, ‘kut’. The next morning, a letter arrives announcing that their benefits are entirely terminated. Spurred by desperation, the group resolves to stop paying for anything and to raid the town for essentials. They stage a run on the petrol station, carting away two large containers of fuel while the attendant gives chase, and they raid the Lupus supermarket for lager, with [Barrie] acting as a distraction while the rest of the crew decamps. Their outlandish behavior continues as they order a delivery from a Chinese takeaway but refuse to pay when it arrives.
The mounting debt brings a sting of consequences. A debt collector arrives, initially befriended by a local who has Down syndrome — a figure who loudly proclaims “Lorry driver” and mimics a truck horn before slamming the door again. When the collector returns, [Richard] confronts him, insisting they won’t pay a thing, and violence erupts: the collector is punched, and soon the local police chief arrives, receiving a similar fate at the hands of [Richard].
A sympathetic Brabant TV journalist covers the story, casting the group as victims of circumstance, which publicizes their plight and sparks a wave of imitation riots in other towns. In the midst of the crisis, [Gerrie] drags [Barrie] to visit an old friend known as “The Lumberjack,” now a professional kickboxer, Peter Aerts, to borrow a substantial loan. With the money, they gamble at a casino, place everything on a single number, and win against the odds. They celebrate, unaware of the money’s provenance, only to see [Rikkert] lose his Opel Manta to the tow yard after a chase, leaving them with little more than a wheel still attached to the curb.
Government officials decide to quell the unrest by wiping Maaskantje off the map, a plan that goes comically awry when Schijndel is bombed by mistake. The authorities claim a rogue Belgian missile caused the error, insisting there is no war between the Netherlands and Belgium. The escalating tension culminates in a tense return to Maaskantje, where gunfire erupts. The group stumbles upon a field where a farmer has hidden WWII-era weapons and they are invited to pick their own arms. As they sing a controversial anthem, the farmer’s cache leads to a fatal misfire: the weapon fire is traced back to [Gerrie], who unexpectedly shoots [Barrie] in the head, prompting a grim joke from [Richard]: “more weapons per man.”
Maaskantje is evacuated as residents flee, and the five friends reunite with their circle — including Manuela, the takeaway owner, and the recently dismissed local police chief — to resist the advancing troops. The delivery rider from the Chinese restaurant becomes a casualty in the early chaos, while the group and their allies put up stubborn resistance with a mix of bazookas, machine guns, and rifles. In a pivotal moment, the takeaway owner, cornered, is saved only when [Gerrie] delivers a decisive headshot to the pursuing officer behind her, and the cafetaria owner proclaims pride in his son.
As the dust settles, [Gerrie] is captured and the group stands together, a mix of relief and defiance. The five of them, together with [Manuela], the former police chief, and others, are arrested and charged with a long list of offenses. They are sentenced to 240 hours of community service each. While they serve their time, [Peter Aerts] returns as the money lender who triggers one last reckless encounter, and the raid ends with a dramatic fatality as a falling set of speakers and a turntable deck collapses, crushed by the weight of aifiendly staged punishment — a moment that also features DJ Paul Elstak in the closing chaos.
The film closes on a note of uneasy camaraderie: the once-disjointed friends are bound by shared misadventure, now serving their community and reflecting on the consequences of unchecked bravado in a town that watched, wondered, and finally acted.
New Kids Turbo Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “2008 crisis hits Maaskantje and costs the group their jobs” to “Arrests, punishment, and uneasy camaraderie”. 15 events name a place, across 15 locations.
- 1
2008 crisis hits Maaskantje and costs the group their jobs
In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Gerrie, Richard, Rikkert, Robbie, and Barrie all lose their jobs in Maaskantje. The loss triggers a shift in focus from daily life to survival, and the friends attribute their plight to external forces while neglecting their own tendencies toward delay and irresponsibility. The small Brabant town begins to feel the strain as unemployment colors everyday life.
When:2008 Where:Maaskantje, North Brabant
- 2
Gerrie arrives late and causes a forklift accident
Gerrie shows up late to work and, in a rush, drives the forklift into a pallet of boxed plasma screens. The accident underscores the group's carelessness and foreshadows the chaos that will follow. The incident intensifies tensions at the workplace in Maaskantje.
When:early crisis Where:Gerrie's workplace, Maaskantje
- 3
Richard brings his bulldog to work and causes chaos
Richard brings his old bulldog to the workplace, where the dog gnaws on and snaps the supervisor's shovels. The pet's disruption mirrors the group’s lack of discipline and foreshadows further trouble at work. The local workplace becomes a pressure cooker for the unraveling plan.
When:early crisis Where:local workplace, Maaskantje
- 4
Rikkert is dismissed by a bitter garage owner
Rikkert is dismissed by a bitter, sarcastic garage owner who blames a broken system. The firing compounds the financial stress on the group and pushes them toward reckless schemes. The garage becomes a symbol of a system they feel stacked against them.
When:early crisis Where:local garage, Maaskantje
- 5
Home life fractures and a cannabis farm fire
Gerrie is expelled from his mother's house after an attempted purse theft; Rikkert ends his relationship with Manuela; Barrie’s home, which doubles as an illegal cannabis farm, catches fire. The personal upheavals mirror the group's sliding moral compass as the crisis deepens. Each setback widens the cracks in their once-stable routines.
When:early crisis Where:Gerrie's mother's home; Manuela's residence; Barrie's home, Maaskantje
- 6
Friends seek refuge at Richard and Robbie's home
The five friends seek refuge at the home shared by Richard and Robbie as their worries spill into daily life. They debate what it would take to survive and who should foot the bill for their next moves. The cramped space becomes a staging ground for bold, often reckless plans.
When:mid-crisis Where:Richard and Robbie's home, Maaskantje
- 7
Refueling troubles expose their fragility
While refueling Rikkert's Opel Manta, the bank card is rejected, underscoring how little financial cushion remains. The failed transaction highlights that their lifelines are fraying and that desperation is tightening its grip. The moment foreshadows the street-level schemes they will consider next.
When:mid-crisis Where:gas station, Maaskantje
- 8
Employment office confrontation and benefit cut
A visit to the local employment office reveals that benefits will not continue. In a bold act of defiance, Richard climbs over the desk and shoves the official aside, demanding more money. The next morning a formal letter arrives confirming that all benefits have been terminated.
When:the morning after the confrontation Where:employment office, Maaskantje
- 9
Desperate plan: stop paying and raid town for essentials
Spurred by desperation, the group resolves to stop paying for anything and to raid the town for necessities. They stage a run on the petrol station, with the attendant giving chase as they cart away large fuel containers, and then raid Lupus supermarket where Barrie acts as a distraction. The spree signals a dramatic collapse of their moral boundaries.
When:soon after benefits cut Where:Maaskantje
- 10
Unpaid takeaway and debt collection chaos
They order a delivery from a Chinese takeaway but refuse to pay when it arrives, triggering a debt-collection chase. Violence erupts as a debt collector confronts them and a local police chief becomes part of the tense standoff. The town's mood shifts from comic mischief to outright danger.
When:mid-crisis Where:Maaskantje; Chinese takeaway
Show the other 5 events of New Kids Turbo Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Media scrutiny and imitation riots
A sympathetic Brabant TV journalist covers the group's story, casting them as victims of circumstance. The coverage goes viral and sparks imitation riots in other towns, amplifying the group's notoriety and inadvertently legitimizing their once-small rebellion. The narrative shifts from local trouble to regional spectacle.
When:crisis peak Where:Maaskantje; Brabant TV
- 12
Loan from The Lumberjack and casino windfall
Gerrie drags Barrie to see an old friend known as The Lumberjack, Peter Aerts, to secure a substantial loan. They gamble the money at a casino and, against the odds, win on a single number, fueling a dangerous sense of invincibility. Meanwhile, Rikkert loses his Opel Manta to the tow yard after a chase.
When:soon after the loan Where:Peter Aerts's circle; casino; tow yard
- 13
Government plan and Schijndel bombing mix-up
Officials decide to quell the unrest by wiping Maaskantje off the map, but the plan backfires when Schijndel is bombed by mistake. Authorities insist there is no war with Belgium, amidst the escalating confusion and pressure on the town. The misfired strategy deepens the town's sense of chaos.
When:crisis escalation Where:Schijndel and Maaskantje
- 14
Weapons, misfire, and Barrie’s death during evacuation
The five friends reach a field where a farmer has WWII-era weapons and are invited to arm themselves. As they chant a controversial anthem, a misfire traced to Gerrie shoots Barrie in the head. Maaskantje enters full evacuation as the conflict closes in.
When:crisis conclusion Where:farmer's field near Maaskantje
- 15
Arrests, punishment, and uneasy camaraderie
The group reunites with Manuela and others, is arrested for a long list of offenses, and is sentenced to 240 hours of community service each. As Peter Aerts returns as the money lender, one last reckless encounter unfolds and ends with a cascade of falling speakers and a turntable deck, culminating in darkly comic chaos with DJ Paul Elstak. The film ends on a note of reluctant solidarity among the friends.
When:aftermath Where:Maaskantje; court; community service
Who Are the Main Characters in New Kids Turbo?
7 characters, among them Gerrie (Tim Haars), Richard (Huub Smit) and Rikkert (Wesley van Gaalen): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- G(
Gerrie (Tim Haars)
Played by Tim Haars
The impulsive, late-arriving worker whose reckless choices set the chain of events in motion. His stubbornness and stubborn optimism mask a deeper desire to belong and protect his friends, even as his actions invite trouble. He embodies the film’s tension between loyalty and irresponsibility.
- ⚡ Impulsive
- 🏗️ Worker
- 🤝 Loyal to friends
-
Richard (Huub Smit)
Played by Huub Smit
The loud, volatile linchpin of the group whose bravado often tips into aggression. He escalates conflicts and tends to react first, think later, which drives violence yet also provides darkly comic relief. His stubborn loyalty complicates the group’s attempts to navigate consequences.
- 💥 Hot-headed
- 🗣️ Combative
- 🧭 Loyal to friends
- R(
Rikkert (Wesley van Gaalen)
Played by Wesley van Gaalen
Cynical and disaffected, he navigates the crisis with sarcasm and skepticism toward systems. His relationship with Manuela and his own independence reflect a distrust of authority. He contributes a biting perspective that sharpens the group’s dynamic.
- 🧭 Cynical
- 🗯️ Sarcastic
- 🧑🤝🧑 Loyal to friends
- R(
Robbie (Steffen Haars)
Played by Steffen Haars
The more easygoing member who tries to hold the group together amid mounting chaos. He provides a stabilizing presence and a pragmatic counterweight to Gerrie and Richard’s impulsiveness. His humor often lightens tense moments while masking underlying strain.
- 😌 Easygoing
- 🧭 Mediation
- 🧨 Threshold-tester
- B(
Barrie (Flip Van der Kuil)
Played by Flip Van der Kuil
The impulsive activist of the group, whose home doubles as an illegal cannabis farm. His quick decisions and risky schemes grip the group, and his charisma masks a volatile streak that contributes to their downfall.
- 🔥 Impulsive
- 🏠 Home-base
- 🚬 Rebellious
- MV
Manuela van Grinsven (Nicole van Nierop)
Played by Nicole van Nierop
A central figure connected to the takeaway owner and the group’s circle, she becomes entangled in the wider consequences of the crew’s actions. Her presence anchors relationships beyond the five friends and reflects the community impact of the chaos.
- 💬 Connected
- 🧍♀️ Grounding influence
- 💼 Takeaway owner
- PA
Peter Aerts
Played by Peter Aerts
The lumberjack turned loan shark who furnishes a substantial loan in a pivotal moment. His money is a catalyst for gambling and a later reckoning, illustrating how quick cash can fuel risky, morally ambiguous decisions.
- 🪓 Loan shark
- 💸 Catalyst
- 🧠 Calculating
Where and When Is New Kids Turbo Set?
New Kids Turbo is set in Maaskantje, North Brabant and Netherlands (Late 2000s, around 2008). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Late 2000s, around 2008
The story unfolds against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis that hits the group of friends hard. With benefits cut and money tight, their decisions become increasingly reckless. The period-specific pressure amplifies their misjudgments and fuels the spiral from petty scheme to larger-than-life antics.
Where
Maaskantje, North Brabant, Netherlands
Maaskantje is a small Brabant village whose tight-knit community becomes a pressure cooker for the characters' misadventures. Its quiet streets and ordinary storefronts stand in stark contrast to the chaos that erupts when unemployment and desperation take hold. The town's everyday realism grounds the film's satirical comedy in a relatable, small-town setting.
- 🏘️ Dutch village
- 🗺️ Brabant region
- 🛣️ Rural setting
What Are the Themes of New Kids Turbo?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Desperation, Misbehavior and Media Influence.
-
01
Desperation
Unemployment and dwindling resources push the friends toward reckless acts. The film uses their panic to critique how economic downturn can erode personal responsibility. Amid the chaos, loyalty to one another shades their decisions, showing how camaraderie can both sustain and destabilize a group.
-
02
Misbehavior
Casual irresponsibility and bad judgment drive much of the plot, highlighting how small choices spiral into bigger problems. The characters treat consequences as distant or pretend they don’t apply to them. Humor is derived from the clash between bravado and reality, until consequences catch up with everyone.
-
03
Media Influence
A Brabant TV journalist covers the unfolding chaos, turning the friends into symbols of a larger social crisis. Public perception and imitation riots spread as the story gains traction beyond Maaskantje. The film satirizes sensationalism, showing how media narratives can amplify actions and blur moral lines.
-
04
Friendship
Despite escalating chaos, the five friends remain bound by a shared history and loyalty. Their bond is both a source of strength and a catalyst for reckless decisions. The film ultimately probes whether camaraderie can endure accountability and guide people toward constructive choices.
What Kind of Film Is New Kids Turbo?
Light in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Mixed
A fast-paced, absurdly chaotic comedy that follows five unemployed friends on a reckless crime spree against the system, blending crude humor with escalating, farcical violence.
- chaotic
- crude
- rebellious
- absurd
- reckless
- rowdy
- economic crisis
- unemployment
- rebellion
- friendship
Content notes: comic violence, property destruction, gun violence, death of a minor character.
Quiz
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