Directed by Erick Zonca, Julia at first seems like another Bressonian slice of realism, a sad portrait of an alcoholic woman who is about a hairs breadth away from hitting rock bottom. Then, in an abrupt and daring change of genre, the film turns into a crime thriller, an intense, almost painful to watch series of events that prove the heroine can not only drink, but she can shoot, too. Needless to say, this is unlike any other film on this list. Tilda Swinton plays the titular character and her portrayal of an alcoholic is eerily dead-on. In the films early scenes, shes either drunk or hungover, and its a blast for any Swinton fans to see her chew up the scenery with every flounce she makes, every swear word she utters. In a sense, this film goes to all the places a sensitive character study might have gone, but more dramatically, convincingly and a hell of a lot more vividly.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
