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Julia (2008)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
12 March 2008 (France)
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Plot:
A woman tries to extort money, using a young boy as bait. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win
&
3 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(64 articles)
Stanley Tucci Rising "Gird Your Loins!"
(From FilmExperience. 21 October 2009, 4:31 PM, PDT)
Tilda Swinton in the Flesh
(From FilmExperience. 20 October 2009, 3:47 PM, PDT)
(From FilmExperience. 21 October 2009, 4:31 PM, PDT)
Tilda Swinton in the Flesh
(From FilmExperience. 20 October 2009, 3:47 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Could have been better but enjoyable.
more (18 total)
Cast
(Credited cast) | Tilda Swinton | ... | Julia |
 | Saul Rubinek | ... | Mitch |
 | Kate del Castillo | ... | Elena |
 | Aidan Gould | ... | Tom |
 | Jude Ciccolella | ... | Nick |
 | Bruno Bichir | ... | Diego |
 | Horacio Garcia Rojas | ... | Santos |
 | Kevin Kilner | ... | Johnny |
| John Bellucci | ... | Phillip |
 | Ezra Buzzington | ... | George |
| Roger Cudney | ... | Frank |
 | Eugene Byrd | ... | Leon |
| Neko Parham | ... | Ejay |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
 | Robert Amico | ... | Detective |
 | Sally Berman | ... | Woman by Car |
| Joe Cucuiat | ... | Undercover Agent #2 |
| Carl Dillard | ... | Henry |
| Dave Gist | ... | Fat Train Station Guy |
 | Priscilla Leona Horne | ... | Woman In Station |
 | M.J. Karmi | ... | AA Woman |
| Jake Koenig | ... | Bartender |
 | Camille Natta | ... | Karen |
 | Tom Poole | ... | Detective |
| Ian Ray | ... | Undercover Agent #1 |
| Marshal Silverman | ... | Commuter |
| Ursula Tania | ... | Cooker |
 | Tania Verafield | ... | Cleaning Lady |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for pervasive language, some violent content and brief nudity.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
144 min
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) |
Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) |
Netherlands:16 |
USA:R |
Portugal:M/16 |
France:U (with warning)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In real life, Tilda Swinton, who plays an alcoholic in the film, cannot drink. She says she would fall asleep after having just one glass.
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Soundtrack:
Tres Avisos
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Let me ask you a question - what do you think when you hear the name Tilda Swinton? The White Witch in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe? The wife in Burn After Reading? For me, the wonderful Ms. Swinton is the mysterious thespian who, for many years, dominated Art-House cinema before springing into the more mainstream audiences in late 2005 when she played the villainess in C.S Lewis's classic and then – two years later - achieved her more irremovable status in January, 2008 when she picked up the award for Best Supporting Actress in Michael Clayton.
Less than a year later, here she is – returning to her art-house ancestry; playing the title character in 'Julia'; a 40-something Californian alcoholic whose pitiful life consists of cigarettes, liquor and endless one night stands. One morning, at an AA Meeting, she meets Elena (Kate del Castillo) a troubled Hispanic woman who – desperate to reignite her relationship with her estranged young son – offers her a proposition she simply cannot refuse: $50,000 – in exchange for her assistance in the kidnap of her son. Before long, Julia and her young hostage (11-year-old, Adian Gould) are driving across America and then through Mexican deserts and Favelas, with the police and the boy's rich grandfather's influential associates not far behind … The majority of Julia is a one-woman's show – with Tilda (despite my limited knowledge of her career) remaining on Academy-Award-Worthy top-form. Shedding her upper-class English background and abandoning her natural elegancy; she successfully adopts the rough working-class mannerisms and an uncannily-authentic volatile demeanour (possibly borrowed from Charlize Theron's performance in 'Monster') that combine together to make Julia Harris – quite possibly – one of the most authentic alcoholics in recent cinema history. Though she does dominate nearly every scene of the entire film, she is supported strongly by a list of fairly unknown stars including Kate del Castillo, Saul Rubinek, Horacio Garcia Rojas and, in particular, Aidan Gould. I do admittedly have a slight aversion to child-actors but here Erick Zonca (writer and director) exploits a bit of raw talent which – weakly – takes some of the limelight away from Tilda in each scene.
Julia's major floor would be the more theoretical side. Though Zonca does indeed direct with competence - making good-use of the on-location scenery (particularly in the second half of the film) - the script suffers from a few notable errors. For instance – the first half of the film follows Julia preparing for this kidnapping. Then a few short scenes establish the inevitable bond between her and the boy, but then - the film almost changes completely. It was almost as if – halfway through writing the script – Zonca watched City of God and decided to combine Julia with elements of a South American gangster film or something. In a long-winded fashion (without giving away an spoilers) what I'm trying to say is that the narrative changes halfway through the film – from an original American thriller to a Mexican crime/thriller, baring subtle similarities to the works of Fernando Meirelles, that – to be frank – are just unnecessary. A few needless subplots and unanswered questions don't help the film's closure either.
None the less the acting from Swinton and Gould to help boost the film's overall effect; as does a great list of post-production techniques, including a diverse soundtrack, subtle-but-effective SFX and a nice, original opening-sequence. It'd be nice to see this get a few Oscar/Golden-Globe nods in the foreign cinema-department next January. Though I shan't hold my breath – what with it competing with the likes of Il y a longtemps que je t'aime and Gomorra, two other successful foreign films that seem to be already sweeping up various awards.
'Julia' is a 15 certificate, 144 minutes long and contains strong language and scenes of violence.