Tideland (2005) R - 3 Stars

Gosh I'm not sure how to describe this movie or even what category to put it in. *Note to self* I just made a new category, "bizarre," after seeing this film as I am sure some other titles in my blog apply. I must say though, Jodelle Ferland gives an award winning performance in her innocent role as Jeliza-Rose, the child of drug addict parents. I love her imagination, well most of it that is, and how she can create a new world to cover up her loneliness. Along with her trusty friends, the talking decapitated heads off dolls, she can take on whatever life has thrown her.

Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland) is the young daughter of two heron addicted parents, Noah (Jeff Bridges) and Queen Gunhilda (Jennifer Tilly). Aptly named Queen for the drama she engages in when having to deal with her daughter or life. After her mother's overdose, her father takes Jeliza-Rose to the rural farmhouse of her passed on grandmother. The house is old and dirty and miles away from the big city, but the two call it their new home.

Daily, she watches her dad as he drifts away after shooting up. Noah takes one last trip "vacation" with his drugs that he never wakes up from. Living off on an old jar of peanut butter, it doesn't stop Jeliza-Rose from embarking on the greatest adventure of her life.

Jeliza-Rose wanders to the other side of the field and runs into the exentric Dell (Janet McTeer) who even the bees hate. Jeliza-Rose than befriends Dell's mentally challenged brother Dickens (Brendan Fletcher), and while the two become close friends, Dell is busy performing the necessary taxidermy skills on Noah, her long lost ex. Dickens takes Jeliza-Rose swimming across the fields to his submarine. They have to be careful to not disturb the large shark that crosses the tracks and flattens the pennies Dickens has saved up. Dickens has vowed to someday blow that shark up.

Still confused, well let me just say you're either going to love the movie's charming play on innocent fantasy or you're going to hate it because it's offensively disturbing.

ThinkFilm
Director: Terry Gilliam
Writers: Tony Grisoni, Terry Gilliam
Producers: Jeremy Thomas, Gabriella Martinelli

I viewed 11/08