FeistyUpper
If you don't like this, we can't be friends.
JinRoz
For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!
Borserie
it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.
ozyvort
There are good qualities to this film, and from the standpoint of technical virtues it is arguably outstanding (filmography, music, acting, settings, costumes, film editing—to name a few). However, the humanistic dimension is deplorable, with bad behavior being exalted beyond belief and all seemingly free from any consequences—to the extent I felt evil was being promoted as the way to live. The very loud message of the film: go ahead and smoke, drink, sell your body, back up over someone standing behind your car, kidnap, steal cars, kill a man by shooting at his head at short range, leave a child with murderers, etc (this list is far from exhaustive). Do all this and be certain that because you finally demonstrate some modicum of regard for a boy and his mother, you will never be punished in any way. This film should be Exhibit A when arguments about the immorality of Hollywood are made.
paul2001sw-1
Eric Zonca directed the sublime 'The Dream Life of Angels', a beautiful story of female friendship and existential despair. 'Julia', his first film for 9 years, is equally powerful, but much less charming. Tilda Swinton is great as Julia, but her character is absolutely unlikeable; the plot, meanwhile, though harrowing, in places strains credibility, especially in its portrait of Mexico as a literal hell on earth. Yet Zonca's talent is also on display, and the story commands your attention in spite of its unpleasantness. The ending is ambiguous, potentially interpretable as redemptive, but not clearly so. I'm not sure this is a great film; I am sure I want to see more from this director.
dusan-22
Solid movie. First of all, excellent acting of the female lead. I was impressed when read that the actress has never drunk a glass of liquor and we got to say that she was so convincing as alcoholic. Then, the movie itself deserves attention, it has solid dynamic plot and good story. What I don't like about this movie is passive camera that is following the heroine behind every corner through long shots as well as limited interaction with other characters. Also, I believe that ending supposed to be a little bit more sophisticated, refined in a film way. However, I do not agree that is unclear since we know all the time what is Julia's reason for kidnapping: she has no Acapulco or Swiss Bank plans, she does that to change her life. When she figured out that the kidnapped boy have already changed her life pretty much, he becomes more valuable reward.
bandw
Tilda Swinton has to be one of the most interesting actresses of her generation. When we first meet her here as Julia she is a cynical, down-and-out alcoholic whose life consists of getting drunk in a bar in the evenings and then sleeping with whomever she can attract for the night. But Julia realizes that her life is going nowhere and her desire for money leads her to misadventures, to understate the matter. We think that this is going to be a tale of redemption, and it does touch on how the relationship that develops between kidnapper and kidnapped changes Julia, but by the end, after murders, lies, kidnappings, double-crossings, and more drinking, it is hard to admire Julia too much when she displays a bit of compassion for the boy she in fact kidnapped.Swinton did not mail this one in--she goes at the role giving 100%. I just wish she had chosen to apply her considerable talent to material with a stronger message than, "Oh! what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!" But, with such a blistering performance she creates a memorable character and I could only stand back in appreciation.The supporting cast is good, including the child actor Aiden Gould. The pacing kept my interest to the point where I didn't think about the major plot holes until after the movie was over.
