Tideland: A Trip through Terry Gilliam’s Unfiltered Imagination

Okay folks, so the other day I sat down to watch Tideland, directed by that ever so nutty Terry Gilliam. You know the guy—from Monty Python, the one with all those curiously fantastic ideas. Now, I’ll be honest, this film is not for everyone. It’s a bit like stinky fisk, you either love it or you wanna toss it out the window.

First off, Jodelle Ferland, who’s had a knack for carrying heavy roles even as a kid, is just mind-blowing. She plays Jeliza-Rose, a girl with a wild imagination that makes Peter Pan’s Neverland look like a stroll through Gamla Stan. And that Jeff Bridges as her heroin-addicted dad… I mean, can you imagine “The Dude” on another planet entirely? Yeah, exactly.

Tideland is like peeking into a twisted fairy tale with its mix of creepy and enchanting. But not gonna lie, some parts left me scrunching my face like I just sipped on week-old surströmming. Gilliam allows the audience no real escape—you’re trapped in this odd world of neglect and bizarre fantasies. But maybe that’s the point, to make us feel as alienated as Jeliza does.

This movie reminded me of late summer nights at my morbror’s stuga, me and my cousins stretching our imaginations as the sun hanged low over the lake. There’s something inherently Swedish about getting lost in fantasy amidst nature, though thankfully, my family refrained from any of the… darker overtones.

I’m still not quite sure if Tideland is a masterpiece or a medley of madness. It’s challenging, that’s for sure. Gilliam doesn’t hold your hand, he throws you into the deep end like a proper Swedish sauna plunge. One moment you’re sweating, and the next, you’re chilled to the bone.

If you’re up for an unsettling ride, give it a shot. Just keep the herring nearby; you’ll need something familiar after this peculiar journey. Skål, movie buffs!

Check the trailer below