THE WAR ZONE
UK, 1999, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ray Winstone, Tilda Swinton, Lara Belmont, Freddie Cunliffe, Kate Ashfield, Colin J. Farrell, Aisling O’ Sullivan.
Directed by Tim Roth.
The War Zone is an impressive film, a one-off directorial effort by actor Tim Roth (Rob Roy, The Cook, the Wife, the Thief and Her Lover).
The film is based on a novel by Alexander Stuart who adapted his book for the screen. It is a bleak picture of British family life, focusing on a family who have moved away from London for hope opportunities as well as for work. The teenage children find it difficult to be away from London and in this remote part on the English coast.
Ray Winstone brings his usual buoyant and brusque style to the role of the father. Tilda Swinton is the mother, pregnant and devoted to her children. Lara Belmont is the teenage daughter and Freddie Cunliffe, who is really the centre of the film, is the teenage son.
While there are many scenes that show a happy domestic life, the family has its dark secret. This is a film about incest, on the obtuseness of the father in not admitting what he had done, the effect on the teenage girl, the traumatic effect it has on the boy who broods, confronts his sister, tells his mother and finally violently confronts his father. Freddie Cunliffe is very good at suggesting this kind of introverted torment.
The film is a slice of life, a strong drama, a challenge, even in its visuals, to audiences understanding and responding to the real issues of incest.
It is interesting that the girl’s boyfriend is played by a very young Colin Farrell, billed as Colin J. Farrell.
1.A British slice of life? The work of Tim Roth?
2.The title, its indication of the difficulties in family, family attitudes, conflict?
3.The English coast, the isolated house? The town, the pubs, the hospitals? The bunker on the cliffs? The bleak perspective, the weather, the beaches, the coast and the sky? The musical score?
4.The picture of family life, the possibilities of a happy family, making a new life out of London in the countryside? The reality of the family? Relationships, love, hate? Themes of birth, death, growth, abuse?
5.The suggestions of tension, the tableaux of the family in their main room, in the kitchen, the number of silences, giving the audience the opportunity to reflect on the family and on individuals? Comfort and discomfort for the family – and for the audience?
6.Tom as the focus, audiences identifying with him, his age, wanting to be back in London, preparing for school? His look, pimply, morose? His antagonism towards his father? His tenderness towards his mother? Loving the new baby? His relationship with Jessie, the confrontation, the challenges? His perspective on the family?
7.The details of the home, settling in? The father continually on the phone? Wanting jobs? The mother and her wanting the family to make a go of this new life? In the kitchen, her water breaking, driving to the hospital, her pain? The crash and its effect?
8.The wounded family, the crash as symbolic of what was happening in their family life? The bandages and seeing them as wounded throughout the film, especially the mother? The hospital, the joy of the new baby? The effect of the baby in the house? Later taking the baby to hospital, in the crib, the care for baby and mother?
9.The ordinariness of home life, the meals, the going to the pubs, the discussions? Going to the bunker – Tom, the photos, spying on his sister and father? The father taking his daughter there? The beach, going out with Nick, the walk on the beach, their leaving Tom? Arriving home in the morning and the parents’ reaction? The meals, the father getting the toast and tomatoes for the children? The talk in the home?
10.Jessie, her age, Tom challenging her, her lies? Lucy and her friends, bringing Carol and the possible sexual reaction with Tom? In the bunker, the brutality of her father, her being hurt? Tom’s photos and confronting her? Her bringing Carol to the house? Her relationship with Nick? A way out? Her witnessing her father’s death?
11.Mum, nice, helpful, concerned about her children, Tom and school? The visits to the pubs, relaxing with Dad? Jessie late and her being upset? In hospital with the baby? The shock of Tom’s information – and her reaction against her husband?
12.The father, his rough character, ordinary, workman, tough? His driving to the hospital, the crash? With his wife, in the pubs, talk, concern about his children? On the phone? With Jessie, the brutality of the sexual encounter? Tom and the confrontation, his anger, denials? The father’s shock when Tom stabbed him?
13. Significance of this drama about family, about the reality of incest, the consequences for all concerned? The violence solution? The nature of family war and the war zone?
