Tideland

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Tideland

R

Released Oct 13, 2006

2h 2m

Drama

Fantasy

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Popcornmeter

31%

Tomatometer

77 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Little Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland) has a very warped childhood. Her parents (Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Tilly) are both drug addicts, and one of her daily chores is to prepare their syringes. After her mother dies of an overdose, her father, Noah, takes her away to his childhood home, but his own mother has passed away and the house is decaying. Then Noah overdoses, and while his body rots in his chair, Jeliza-Rose meets a taxidermist and her unstable brother.

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Critics Consensus

Tideland is a disturbing, and mostly unwatchable effort from Terry Gilliam.

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Jeremiah Kipp

Slant Magazine

This two-disc set is sure to keep Gilliam's few Tideland fans buzzing for some time.

Feb 27, 2007

Full Review

Jeff Shannon

Seattle Times

Honest, unflinching and worthy of reappraisal.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 3, 2006

Full Review

Josh Rosenblatt

Austin Chronicle

Ugly, disturbing, and misguided mess.

Rated: 0.5/5

Oct 30, 2006

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Gilliam’s film isn’t easy. He doesn’t want it to be. At every turn, he challenges us.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 8, 2024

Full Review

Kaleem Aftab

The List

Gilliam's plan to make a small budget film of limited scope that would leave him free to display his unfettered creative genius sounds good on paper. However, his melodramatic, Alice In Wonderland variety fairy tale is sadly near-incomprehensible.

Rated: 2/5

Nov 3, 2018

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Rob Aldam

Backseat Mafia

It works best when Gilliam allows Jeliza-Rose to disappear inside her own mind, revelling in unrestricted solitude.

Oct 30, 2018

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Steve A

It has been decades since I've seen a movie so intense and upsetting that I can't put it out of my mind for days. Tideland is that (as was Brazil). In this film we see both the awful reality and the distorted imaginary view of the child, Jeliza. Feeling of hope for the young child are repeatedly crushed as her life situation goes from terrible to horrific. It ends with a note of dubious hope, that she might be mistaken for a victim of train derailment and incidentally elevated from this 'swamp' to a different life. On one level it can be seen as a basic horror flick, but if one applies a little thought & imagination it's much deeper. It's about Jeliza, a young girl living in an unacceptable reality, who necessary retreats to fantasy, and how her reality and fantasy worlds devolve. Jodelie Ferland is terrific as a child actor in this role. Jeff Bridges gives a nice performance as the drugged-out has-been rocker running, with daughter Jeliza, from the OD death of their wife/mother to his childhood home in the tideland that is not an improvement. Upsetting and brilliant.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/28/25

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Adrian M

A difficult watch, sometimes looks like it is going to an even darker place. Some great acting.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/06/25

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Daniel J

A typical Gilliam. You either like it or you hate it. The acting performances fit like a glove, even if the movie is quite disturbing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/20/25

Full Review

Sergio A

Terry Gilliam is an intelligent and daring director, something truly worth appreciating. His uniquely unsettling style is vividly showcased in this film, leaving no one indifferent. A powerful reflection on imagination as a means of escaping a harsh reality.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

Full Review

Erin C

People have varying reasons to watch a film. Most of us want to escape from real life. Sometimes we want to feel real life echoed in a film. Gillian's film is uncomfortable and heart-wrenchingly sad. That's the film. It's not trying too hard to be something it's not. It accomplishes its goal. Jodelle is legendary as a beautiful talented child actor. This film deserves at least a four star rating worth a watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

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leonel M

Our bizarre and cruel world, but seen from the innocent and noble eyes of a girl. Without a doubt a good film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/22/24

Full Review

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Director

Jodelle Ferland

Jeliza-Rose

Janet McTeer

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Synopsis

Little Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland) has a very warped childhood. Her parents (Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Tilly) are both drug addicts, and one of her daily chores is to prepare their syringes. After her mother dies of an overdose, her father, Noah, takes her away to his childhood home, but his own mother has passed away and the house is decaying. Then Noah overdoses, and while his body rots in his chair, Jeliza-Rose meets a taxidermist and her unstable brother.

Director: Terry Gilliam
Producer: Gabriella Martinelli, Jeremy Thomas
Screenwriter: Terry Gilliam, Tony Grisoni
Distributor: ThinkFilm
Production Co: Capri Films, Recorded Pictures Company, HanWay Films
Rating: R (Bizarre and Disturbing Content|All Involving a Child|Some Language|Drug Use|Gruesome Situations|Sexuality)
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 13, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $61.2K
Runtime: 2h 2m

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