Julia (2008) DVD

Tilda Swinton is one of those actresses who, we’re told, can only ever play ‘characters’ thanks to her unique, non-Hollywood looks. It’s true that at almost six-feet tall with flame red hair, pale skin and sometimes outlandish dress sense, she could never be the next Julia Roberts. But then again, why would you want to be? After a successful career as a model, art house muse and award-winning supporting actress, Swinton is here given the opportunity to shine in a central role. And what a role it is: Julia is a manipulative and unreliable 40-year-old alcoholic who goes from job to job in between shots and one night stands.

After another job loss she runs into a Mexican woman who somehow convinces her to kidnap her son from his wealthy grandfather for a big cheque that will get the drug dealing debt collectors off her back. Unsurprisingly, things go awry and she’s forced to make a decision which will only benefit her or the boy. Julia is the type of character that could only be loved on screen, in real life she’d be a despicable human being that people would only want to be around when in need of a good time.

Inspired by John Cassavetes Gloria, writer and director Erick Zonca doesn’t pretty her up to be a decent character, or even person, as every horrible flaw she possesses is there to be seen. It’s even more impressive then that Swinton gives such a strong, magnetic performance that by the final credits all is forgiven, but only just.