Stars:
Janet McTeer,
Jeff Bridges,
Jennifer Tilly,
Jodelle Ferland,
Brendan Fletcher
Director:
Terry Gilliam
Summary: When her junkie mother overdoses, young Jeliza-Rose is taken by her drug addicted father to live in her grandmother's abandoned home in the middle of nowhere. There, she encounters some bizarre characters and retreats into a dark fantasy world.
Based on the novel by Mitch Cullin, TIDELAND follows the story of young Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland), the daughter of junkie parents Noah (Jeff Bridges), an aging rock-and-roller, and Queen Gunhilda (Jennifer Tilly), a mean-spirited chocoholic. After her mother overdoses, Jeliza-Rose and Noah move to his mother's derelict home in the middle of nowhere. As Noah gets lost on one of his 'vacations'--a euphemism for his drug trips--Jeliza-Rose becomes friends with the emotionally and physically challenged Dickens (Brendan Fletcher), despite being terrified of his sister, the witch-like Dell (Janet McTeer). Meanwhile, Jeliza-Rose slips deeper into her own fantasy world, particularly with her doll heads Mustique, Sateen Lips, Glitter Gal, and Baby Blonde--one of which falls down a dark and narrow rabbit hole--and a mysterious talking squirrel that is trying to tell her something important. Aesthetically, Gilliam's film is reminiscent of the famous Andrew Wyeth painting 'Christina's World', with its bizarre and macabre set pieces. The eclectic soundtrack features such original songs as 'Wash Me In The Blood Of Jesus' and 'Van Gogh in Hollywood' (the latter performed by Bridges as the leader of a heavy metal band). TIDELAND is a challenging film from start to finish; as disturbing as PSYCHO and as fantastical as ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND.