 |  | Get Showtimes... |
Review #299 of 365
Film: Tideland (2006) [R] 122 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $8.75
Where Viewed: Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 6 November 2006
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Film's Official Website
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Directed by: Terry Gilliam (The Brothers Grimm)
Screenplay by: Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and Tony Grisoni (Brothers of the Head) based on the novel by Mitch Cullin
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Jodelle Ferland (Silent Hill) • Janet McTeer (The Amazing Mrs Pritchard") • Brendan Fletcher (RV) • Jennifer Tilly (Saint Ralph) • Jeff Bridges (Stick It)
Soundtrack: Download now from 
— or — order the CD below
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Accident, Pommes Frites, Mason F., and Jugular
Oh, before I begin, let me introduce you to Accident, Pommes Frites, Mason F., and Jugular. These are my four best friends. Accident is my favorite and gets the best and most special treatment. I wear their little heads on the tips of my fingers, and they talk to me. Or rather, I pretend they talk to me. I give them little voices and personalities. Accident is sort of mean to the others, especially Jugular whom he makes fun of all the time for looking too old and out of sorts to be in this collection. Ok, so now with Accident's permission, I can begin.
Described by some as a wicked blend of Psycho and Alice in Wonderland Monty Python's Terry Gilliam's film adaptation of Mitch Cullin's Tideland lacks the story to be ranked with either classic. Perhaps something was lost in translation from book page to big screen, like the magic or the horror?—not sure because, as of yet, I have not read the book. The film reminded me a lot of a highly artistic film that nobody gets, but everyone is afraid to admit he or she didn't get it for fear of massive social ostracism so he or she pronounces the film a work of creative genius and moves on. Well, fine, ostracize me. Jugular tried to get me to water this down a bit so as not to offend Terry Gilliam fans, but I cannot do that and stay true to myself. I know that Accident is still on my side, and that's all that matters. I've been taken to task before. There are plenty of people who feel I didn't comprehend the genius of Borat and one very angry reader last spring who is still hopping mad that I didn't love Silent Hill. So, forgive me if I didn't even like Tideland, or love it, let alone predict Academy Award® nominations all around for it. Mason and Pommes think that there could be an acting nomination for Jodelle and that I'm being a tad unfair because the actors especially young Jodelle Ferland (formerly of Silent Hill by the way) and Brendan Fletcher (formerly of RV by the way) were absolutely outstanding in their respective roles as the main character Jeliza-Rose and her 'cutie pie' Dickens respectively. Jeff Bridges plays Jeliza-Rose's heroine addicted father, Noah, who takes her via Greyhound Bus to a small town in Texas (the film was shot entirely in Canada—homeland of Fletcher by the way) to escape the big city where her mother has just overdosed on heroine. Pommes or Pommy as he prefers to be called, really thinks that calling it a small town in Texas it a bit of an overstatement. Actually where Noah takes her is to his boyhood home which is, basically, in the middle of a weed field miles and miles from anywhere, except one neighbor's house isn't that far away. But shortly after they arrive, Noah overdoses on Heroine and dies in his Easy-boy leaving poor, little Jeliza-Rose to fend for herself. Which she does, sort of, by inventing a fantasy world and talking to her doll heads on the ends of her fingers. Accident says he doesn't believe that happens in the movie, but I assured him that is does, and that one of the main points of the film happens when Jeliza-Rose loses the head of her favorite down a rabbit hole—I guess that's where all the Alice in Wonderland comparisons begin to crystallize. Meanwhile, Jeliza-Rose stumbles upon the neighbor house and encounters Dell (Janet McTeer) and her brother Dickens. Dell is a taxidermist with a belief that all animals, people included, should be stuffed and preserved for the future, not buried where they will be lost forever. Dickens is a mildly mentally challenged young man with what seem to be several birth defects. She and Jeliza become friends out of convenience even though he is much, much older than she is. She reciprocates and eventually begins to think of him as her boyfriend and then husband--pretty awful circumstances for a girl of about 10 years old. Dell, it turns out, used to have a thing for Jeliza-Rose's father and decides that she's going to clean up the abandoned house and stuff Noah to keep him around forever. No, Pommy, I didn't forget. Dell compels Jeliza-Rose to sacrifice a couple of her doll heads to the stuffing of her father, so she tosses in two keeping one last one around for company. If I had to make a similar sacrifice, I'd probably toss in Jugular and Pommy.
This is a surreal and disquieting story which really leaves one quite cold in the end. While the acting is quite good as the characters are richly drawn, the story around them is too bizarre and incomprehensible at times. There's little to be learned from these characters, in the end, no real moral of the story, nothing that serves as a take home lesson. Jugular, as you can see this is how he gets his name, says that basically there was no point to the story. Basically, it goes nowhere pretty slowly with many sidebar conversations between Jeliza-Rose, the doll heads, and occasionally a feisty squirrel. Pommy also said it would be unfair to those trying to determine whether they should roll the dice and see this film that he and Mason F. got into a big fight during the movie over how many times Jugular would look at his watch during the film. Apparently Mason F. counted 16 times, and Pommy counted 15 times. I told them they were both wrong, it was 18 times, and they must have nodded off and missed a few times. I also told them to stop arguing so loudly as they were disturbing the four other people in the theatre.
Described by some as a wicked blend of Psycho and Alice in Wonderland Monty Python's Terry Gilliam's film adaptation of Mitch Cullin's Tideland lacks the story to be ranked with either classic. Perhaps something was lost in translation from book page to big screen, like the magic or the horror?—not sure because, as of yet, I have not read the book. The film reminded me a lot of a highly artistic film that nobody gets, but everyone is afraid to admit he or she didn't get it for fear of massive social ostracism so he or she pronounces the film a work of creative genius and moves on. Well, fine, ostracize me. Jugular tried to get me to water this down a bit so as not to offend Terry Gilliam fans, but I cannot do that and stay true to myself. I know that Accident is still on my side, and that's all that matters. I've been taken to task before. There are plenty of people who feel I didn't comprehend the genius of Borat and one very angry reader last spring who is still hopping mad that I didn't love Silent Hill. So, forgive me if I didn't even like Tideland, or love it, let alone predict Academy Award® nominations all around for it. Mason and Pommes think that there could be an acting nomination for Jodelle and that I'm being a tad unfair because the actors especially young Jodelle Ferland (formerly of Silent Hill by the way) and Brendan Fletcher (formerly of RV by the way) were absolutely outstanding in their respective roles as the main character Jeliza-Rose and her 'cutie pie' Dickens respectively. Jeff Bridges plays Jeliza-Rose's heroine addicted father, Noah, who takes her via Greyhound Bus to a small town in Texas (the film was shot entirely in Canada—homeland of Fletcher by the way) to escape the big city where her mother has just overdosed on heroine. Pommes or Pommy as he prefers to be called, really thinks that calling it a small town in Texas it a bit of an overstatement. Actually where Noah takes her is to his boyhood home which is, basically, in the middle of a weed field miles and miles from anywhere, except one neighbor's house isn't that far away. But shortly after they arrive, Noah overdoses on Heroine and dies in his Easy-boy leaving poor, little Jeliza-Rose to fend for herself. Which she does, sort of, by inventing a fantasy world and talking to her doll heads on the ends of her fingers. Accident says he doesn't believe that happens in the movie, but I assured him that is does, and that one of the main points of the film happens when Jeliza-Rose loses the head of her favorite down a rabbit hole—I guess that's where all the Alice in Wonderland comparisons begin to crystallize. Meanwhile, Jeliza-Rose stumbles upon the neighbor house and encounters Dell (Janet McTeer) and her brother Dickens. Dell is a taxidermist with a belief that all animals, people included, should be stuffed and preserved for the future, not buried where they will be lost forever. Dickens is a mildly mentally challenged young man with what seem to be several birth defects. She and Jeliza become friends out of convenience even though he is much, much older than she is. She reciprocates and eventually begins to think of him as her boyfriend and then husband--pretty awful circumstances for a girl of about 10 years old. Dell, it turns out, used to have a thing for Jeliza-Rose's father and decides that she's going to clean up the abandoned house and stuff Noah to keep him around forever. No, Pommy, I didn't forget. Dell compels Jeliza-Rose to sacrifice a couple of her doll heads to the stuffing of her father, so she tosses in two keeping one last one around for company. If I had to make a similar sacrifice, I'd probably toss in Jugular and Pommy.
This is a surreal and disquieting story which really leaves one quite cold in the end. While the acting is quite good as the characters are richly drawn, the story around them is too bizarre and incomprehensible at times. There's little to be learned from these characters, in the end, no real moral of the story, nothing that serves as a take home lesson. Jugular, as you can see this is how he gets his name, says that basically there was no point to the story. Basically, it goes nowhere pretty slowly with many sidebar conversations between Jeliza-Rose, the doll heads, and occasionally a feisty squirrel. Pommy also said it would be unfair to those trying to determine whether they should roll the dice and see this film that he and Mason F. got into a big fight during the movie over how many times Jugular would look at his watch during the film. Apparently Mason F. counted 16 times, and Pommy counted 15 times. I told them they were both wrong, it was 18 times, and they must have nodded off and missed a few times. I also told them to stop arguing so loudly as they were disturbing the four other people in the theatre.
Back to Top | W.I.P. Scale™ | Most Recently Reviewed Films | Films of 2005 | Films of 2006
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Tideland (2006)
Cast Members
Jodelle Ferland
• Janet McTeer• Brendan FletcherJennifer Tilly
• Jeff Bridges Director
Terry Gilliam
Co-Screenwriter
Tony Grisoni
Book Author
Mitch Cullin
| Book | CD Soundtrack | DVD |
Tideland (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
Described as a wicked blend of Psycho and Alice in Wonderland Monty Python's Terry Gilliam's film adaptation of Mitch Cullin's Tideland lacks the story to be ranked with either classic. Perhaps something was lost in translation from book page to big screen. While, the acting of Jodelle Ferland and Brendan Fletcher were absolutely outstanding in their respective roles as the main character Jeliza-Rose and her 'cutie pie' Dickens respectively, the meandering story of a heroine-addicted father (Jeff Bridges) who moves his daughter to a an abandoned farm house in the middle of nowehre Texas to escape the big city where her mother died, lacks coherence and purpose. A fantasy world she invents using doll heads and love she invents between herself and 'cutie pie' Dickens help sustain her until she can be rescued from her surreal and disquieting life story which really leaves one quite cold in the end.
No comments:
Post a Comment