| Tim Roth, we hardly knew ya (a review of "The War Zone") |
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| written by DBalogh |
September 16, 2004 - 2:55 PM PDT |
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4 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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When Interiors was released years ago, Woody Allen fans were surprisingly introduced (for better or worse) to a dimension of the comic film-maker that they never knew existed. The arrival of this film has certainly surprised many in regards to its maker Tim Roth -- here we see a side of Pumpkin and Mr. Orange (Roth's breakthrough roles in his two Tarantino films) that we may have seen hints of, but which never prepared us for something like this. Not only does Roth demonstrate an eagerness to be involved with very dark, very serious Bergman-esque melodrama, but in doing so he demonstrates unequivocally his facility in being the directing hand behind it all.
It's the depressing, dreary story of a family ripped apart by incest, emotionally draining, and not for all tastes. Roth, in his very impressive directorial debut, creates an atmosphere of unbearable hopelessness -- using isolated rocky locations, soaked in rain, wind and cold, and photographed in muted blues and grays, Roth's film canvas resembles something from Picasso's blue period with the amazingly sad face of Lara Belmont (as the abused daughter) echoing the gaunt, pale harlequins of that master's works. It's also remiscient of Ingmar Bergman, in story and in texture (have another look at Persona and you'll swear the two films were shot on the same beaches). By holding shots longer than expected (much like Ozu), and using spare dialogue, the contrasting emotional outbursts are unforgettable.
Much credit should be given to the marvellous cast, without whom none of this would have worked: the aforementioned Belmont (her first film) is superb as the daughter, emotionally killed by her father; Freddie Cunliffe (also his first film) is very good as the confused younger brother who stumbles on the terrible secret; Tilda Swinton is sympathetic as the oblivious mother; and Ray Winstone, as the monstrous father, still manages to bring a touch of pity to his role. And while one could reasonably argue that Roth goes a bit too far in some scenes for shock value, the bottom-line is that he makes it work. It's a film you won't soon forget. |
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