Tideland 2005

What the fuck did I just see

AWESOME movie without a proper ending.

boring as hell. it's basically "let's play pretend!" but also they made her parents druggies in an attempt to be sad or some bullshit.

fantastically trippy... such a beautiful mind-fuck! I did not expect it to end the way it did... although I sure did enjoy this work of art!

I am in between liking this movie and being horrified. Can someone please write me an ending where this girl is happy?

After a promising start, "Tideland" lost me rather fast. Jennifer Tilly and Jeff Bridges quickly disappear from the scene, and the film must then be carried primarily by young actress Jodelle Ferland. She does a solid job. However, she can't save the plot, which drifts further and further into the surreal.

The handwriting of director Terry Gilliam is obvious. According to him, he wanted to show how children can overcome traumatic events with their imagination. I can definitely see this approach in the finished film. However, Gilliam does not succeed in realizing this in an entertaining way. Instead, the film becomes more and more disturbing as it goes on. This made me more attentive, but a trigger warning is definitely required.

I also have to warn fans of Brendan Fletcher. He's really terrible here. I kept thinking of Tropic Thunder. "Never go Full Retard!", as they say there. Fletcher falls right into that trap. He's a pure disaster. All in all, "Tideland" is a fascinating but thoroughly frustrating drama.

Down the tipsy topsy turvy rabbit hole they go. Might be Gilliam's most bizarre trip, but doesn't make it his best by any means.

Terry Gilliam should stop shooting.