Home > Metrospective

Reel world: Tideland
Tideland blurs fantasy, reality
By Joe Nguyen
nguyejos@mscd.edu

Tideland Rated R 122 minutes Opens Nov. 3

There’s a fine line between fantasy and reality. In Tideland, that line has not just been skewed; it’s been obliterated.

Director Terry Gilliam (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) reunites with his Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas screenwriter Tony Grisoni to bring Mitch Cullin’s novel to the big screen. What they produce is a delightfully twisted story filled with brilliant acting and stunning imagery.

The film stars Jodelle Ferland (Silent Hill) as Jeliza-Rose, a young girl whose sole purpose is to act as the caretaker for her drug-addict parents, played by Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski) and Jennifer Tilly (Bound). When her mother dies, Jeliza-Rose and her dad move to a dilapidated house in the country. Here she escapes to her imaginary world, a diversion from the negativity in her own life.

The opening of the movie is reminiscent of Fear and Loathing and its warped interpretations of reality. Tilted backgrounds are mixed with oversaturated, analogous colors to create the effect of a drug-induced hallucination. When the family moves to the country, the horizon balances out and the colors tone down, creating a tranquil backdrop.

The strength of the film resides in its actors. Ten-year-old Ferland carries the film with a performance that captures the essence of eeriness. She never tries to be off-the-wall, allowing natural reactions to dictate her acting. The conversations she has with her imaginary friends are typical of any child, but the fact that they’re decapitated doll heads leaves an uneasy feeling. Little girls don’t get any creepier than this.

Brendan Fletcher (Freddy vs. Jason) excels in his role as the mentally retarded neighbor, Dickens. His innocent perspective is one of the few beacons of light in an otherwise dark tale.

The film seamlessly shifts between Jeliza-Rose’s realms of reality and fantasy. Viewers don’t realize that she has drifted off until she wakes up from a dream.

Gilliam masterfully creates a sordid portrayal of life through the eyes of an innocent child in Tideland. The sugar-coated scenery makes it easy to take in, but the story and performances leave an uneasy feeling.