Review of Tideland (2005) by Cyrus B — 13 May 2008

TIDELAND.

Tideland(Details here), is the new film from the massively acclaimed cult director, Terry Gilliam. Having made Brothers Grimm just to get funding and resources to make this film, it clearly shows this project was of great importance to him and he feels very passionate about it.

Jodelle Ferland plays Jeliza-Rose, a young girl who moves to a remote country farm area after the untimely death of her mother. With her heroin addicted father(Jeff Bridges) not being much company, she explores the surroundings using her imagination, her only companions are her dolls heads, who have personalities of their own.

Firstly, this is probably one of the greatest performances by a child actor in cinema to date. Ferland holds the screen with her variety of voices and engaging dialogues, splitting her personality to give her dolls life and herself a friend. Whilst the characters are far from normal, they seem to lack development until the latter part of the film, where we are exposed to a canyon of forethought and intensity.

Direction is, exactly what you'd expect from Gilliamâ??s work, fantastical and definitely very strange. Making use cantered angles and putting motion into the camera, giving the whole film the perspective of it's main protagonist, turning the audience into children. Very imaginative and unique choices in direction and editing, it feels odd to say the least, to be in this unfamiliar position.

Tension is built with a huge level of class towards the end, even though the narrative may not be a strong clear cut story, it certainly gives the audience a great experience, although the pacing is a little weak in the first half of the movie. There are moments when the film becomes very edgy and exposes the innocence of childhood, and moves the audience through several waves of emotion.

In conclusion, this film feels like nothing else around, whilst not Gilliamâ??s finest hour, it leaves a long lasting impression and echoes the Quay Brothers' work in some element. A must for any Gilliam fan or lover of independent cinema, engaging, strangely poignant, but not for all audiences.