Julia

First of all, let me just say that the fact that Tilda Swinton was snubbed an Oscar nomination last year for her riveting and colossally brilliant performance in `Julia' just proves once and for all (well, it's been proven many times actually) that the members of the academy aren't watching the right movies. I had heard all the raves and I was prepared for greatness, but she really is stunningly perfect in this role; completely void of all vanity and stripped bare boned, completely in the moment. What I found so wonderful about the film though, was that it didn't simply rely wholly on Swinton to carry it. Sure, there are some plot improbabilities that strip it of a little integrity, but overall this film itself works very hard to keep up with Swinton in deserving your attention.You will never guess what happens next.That is one rarity that I really enjoyed about `Julia'. It kept me guessing the entire time. It won me over with every plot twist and new development because it fit without being predictable. Sure, the ending was a tad comparable to a `sellout' (the single worst component to the film outside of Kate del Castillo's inconsistently unbearable performance), but it really isn't the ending as much as the last line of dialog that kind of dampens the film impact.Really, just know that while Swinton is the best thing about this film, she is not the only reason to watch it.`Julia' tells the story of Julia Harris; an alcoholic who is uncontrollably selfish and completely reprehensible. The first thirty minutes or so of the film simply introduce us to her lifestyle and help us to, well, dislike her. I love the performance and the treatment of Julia so much because we are never given a single reason to sympathize with her (well, until the end which is kind of expected even if it was a tad disappointing). We are basically told from the beginning that Julia is an awful person. Swinton makes sure that we believe that. When Julia is approached by a fellow AA member who is in dire need of some help, she finds herself neck deep in a LOT of trouble. Before she knows it, Julia has kidnapped an eight-year-old boy and is holding him for ransom.But, Julia keeps digging that hole of hers deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper.The plot is so rich with originality (I mean, this material was so much stronger than I expected) that I'm just completely blown away that more people aren't campaigning this film. Yes, some of the sequences in the film run a little improbable, and some of the films overall dynamic is lost in the endings attempt at humanizing Julia, but many of the films core aspects are remarkably unique. Deciding to create a film that centers around a woman so despicable yet utterly human was a risk that I am SO glad Erick Zonca took.

Solid acting from the entire cast as Swinton has us following her around like a puppy waiting to see what she will do next. Some of the scenes reminded me of Gloria with Gena Rowlands, which was a great movie, and that is how good Tilda Swinton is here.

This movie is spectacular!! Tilda Swinton should've definitely won an Academy award for her role in this, in my own opinion. She plays this aging, washed up, hard-partying American woman (not even a hint of a British accent, and my hat's off to her for that too, because I imagine it's no small feat), who has a serious drinking problem. While attempting to sober up and attend AA meetings, she begins a conversation with another woman at the meeting, an discovers this woman is also her neighbor. This neighbor woman has gotten her son taken away from her, and offers Julia money to get him back. Being the money hungry, selfish alcoholic that she is in this movie, Julia quickly takes the woman up on her offer, without really stopping to think about any details or plans. I don't want to say anymore for fear of giving too much away, but this movie will make you cringe, cry, sit on the edge of your seat, lift you up and make you cry again. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, and it WILL stick with you for many months, if not years, to come.

Tilda Swanson (Julia) plays a totally screwed up alcoholic who in has a plot which involves getting a ransom from the Grandfather of a boy whose mother was desperately trying to get her son back.Julia associates with s unsavory characters, spurns and really human associations and is so cruel that I almost stopped watching . I thought I would let it the video play thinking that I would just getting a chore done but got hooked. I had to go back and had to watch the movie to conclusion. Turns out that the craziness and unlikeableness of Tilda Swanson's character, played by Tilda Swanson are necessary to the plot. Julia in her desperation, is forced to find inner intelligence to survive many situations. As she moves from .through the story her instinct for survival kicks in and she slowly starts to include the best interest of the boy in her actions.In Julia's

Warning:spoiler alert in this review.I'm very ambivalent about this film. Tilda Swinton is excellent in the part of Julia, an alcoholic woman who can't really make it from day to day. She has blackouts, goes home with a variety of men and finally hits a low point after being fired from her job. She is vulnerable and desperate enough to fall for a scheme to kidnap a woman's child. The woman wants her son back and meets Julia at an AA meeting. She promises a veritable fortune if Julia will find a way to get her son. Unfortunately, the mother disappears from the film as soon as the kidnapping takes place. At this point, Julia decides to pull off a ransom attempt,hoping to get some money from the kidnapping. As the film goes on, she goes from being a frightening figure to the boy (Tom) to a more nurturing woman. Meanwhile, the mother of the child has her face plastered all over the national news and is on the run.Events aren't predictable for most of the film and it held my attention and was definitely suspenseful. Then came the ending. I'd have given this one a higher rating if that ending hadn't been so vague. I assumed that Julia was going to give Tom back to his grandfather, the rich relative with millions at his disposal, but this was not spelled out.Julia just walks away, holding Tom, promising him that she'd take him back to his "mother". This made the film disappointing on so many levels. Others may disagree. Perhaps the "message" was that Julia, a woman at loose ends, has found no answers to solve her problems and is resigned to giving Tom back to the authorities -and his loving grandfather- and then get turn herself in. Maybe she is never going to be able to make plans and have them succeed and her life will always go off track. But the interpretation is left to the viewer.

Trepidante pelicula ,muy entretenida ,de una mujer como protagonista, que se ve envuelta un situaciones vitales que le harán replantearse su vida

Tilda plays a louche character that grows changes and surprises during the film. A stand out performance, you don't have to like the character but you have to admire the determination. A good few twists and turns along the way. I just hope it's not a true story.

I saw this film on the telivision last year and have spent ages tracking it down,glad I found it well worth the search . It is an excellent movie. the acting is brilliant. A very tense film from begining to end with some very amusing moments .

Une femme en pleine descente infernale, alcoolique, sans repaires et sans valeurs morales enlève un enfant pour demander une rançon. Ce départ va ouvrir un grand nombres de possibilités filmiques.La femme qui paraît impitoyable est brutale envers l'enfant.... va t-elle se transformer à son contact ? pas si sûr, le réalisateur garde une troublante ambivalence sur le personnage féminin, l'appât du gain restera très longtemps dans la priorité de son comportement que l'enfant subit.L'histoire permet au personnage féminin d'être au centre de tout les évènements qui se déroulent et Tilda Swinton est d'une vérité éclatante dans ce rôle pas très sympathique, le spectateur restant partagé sur les actions contradictoires de cette femmes paumés par l'ingurgitation d'alcool à haute dose.C'est la rencontre de deux solitudes (l'enfant et sa ravisseur) qui se reconnaissent et qui nouent des liens un peu bizarre, Tilda Swinton vers la fin du film fera front de manière courageuse pour récupérer l'enfant, une manière d'affronter ses démons et de sauver la seule chose positive de sa vie (l'enfant)Le réalisateur capte parfaitement l'énergie de ses acteurs et transpose à l'écran une superbe peinture d'une femme désespéré et prête à tout!

This was tiresome to watch I know Tilda Swinton is a tremendous actress etc. but not everything she appears in is great. I couldn't have cared less about any of the characters, the story line was far-fetched and everything that happened was awful.