agmtw logo
search
Julia (2008)

Julia (2008)

A kidnapping goes sideways in this intense, nerve-wracking thriller

7.1

Movie

Belgium, France
English, Spanish
Drama
2008
ERICK ZONCA
Aidan Gould, Bruno Bichir, Eugene Byrd
144 min

TLDR

Man, this was quite stressful.

What it's about

After losing everything due to her alcohol addiction, Julia is invited by fellow A.A. member Elena for a plot to kidnap her son from his wealthy grandfather.

The take

Most people are aware that alcoholism doesn’t lead to clear decision-making, but while we’re familiar with the plenty of the usual consequences, such as calling your exes, overspending, and car crashes, it usually doesn’t lead to a kidnapping plot against a multimillionaire. 2008’s Julia takes things to the extreme, with the initial capture escalating into a murder charge, a cross-country escape, and a 2-million ransom bounty, but it feels a bit plausible with the way Tilda Swinton sinks into Julia’s desperation, making bad decision after bad decision with options eventually closing in. While the film might feel a tad too long for some viewers, Julia is nonetheless a compelling thriller, made much more memorable with Swinton’s performance.

What stands out

Tilda Swinton– I cannot stress enough how excellent her performance is.

Comments

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Emilia Pérez (2024)

Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez return to their roots in this multinational crime musical drama

7.5

Victoria (2015)

Filmed in one continuous take and in real time on the streets of Berlin, ‘Victoria’ immerses the viewer in a heart-stopping drama

9.8

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Compassionate filmmaking reconstructing a 24-hour police brutality story – with a stunning lead by Michael B. Jordan

9.7

Nowhere (2023)

A riveting Spanish Netflix survival thriller brought to life in Anna Castillo’s performance

7.8

Amistad (1997)

Spielberg depicts a compelling, if a bit imperfect, historical drama depicting the real life freedom suit

7.5

Babylon (2022)

An intoxicating and lavishly designed experience of Hollywood hedonism

8.0

Open Your Eyes (1997)

The startlingly surreal Spanish psychothriller that inspired modern cult classic Vanilla Sky

8.0

Broadcast News (1987)

A romantic and bittersweet drama set in the hectic world of TV news

8.0

In the Mood for Love (2000)

A timeless, melancholic classic of modern Hong Kong cinema about loneliness and love

9.2

Holy Spider (2022)

A timely and terrifying noir that takes on systemic abuse and corruption in Iran

8.0

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.