Julia

Reaching the half way point of Erick Zonca’s new film, you wouldn’t be blamed for not wanting to continue much further. Enduring almost an hour of our protagonist Julia (Tilda Swinton), a desperate, egotistical alcoholic, is somewhat trying, and up until this point we care very little about her or her story. Particularly grating are the scenes with her psychotic neighbour Elena (Kate del Castillo) which teeter on descending into caricature as the two – both irrational and volatile – plan to kidnap Elena’s son, Tom, who lives with the boy’s wealthy grandfather.

However, the second half of the film more than redeems itself. As Julia embroils herself in the kidnap her character takes on a new meaning as we see her negotiate increasingly bizarre and daring situations. Her conversations with Tom are especially revealing as Julia reframes the situation and her role in it for the child’s (and perhaps her own ego’s) benefit. A series of genuinely unexpected turns in the plot leave the audience unsure how the whole debacle will end, transforming this film into a refreshing take on the heist movie. [Gail Tolley]