The Tribe

Dropped from a theatrical release and shown late on BBC2, 'The Tribe' iso one of the 150 films made each year in Britain which fails at the distribution hurdle. Which is a shame, because as an experience there are few films as strange, tingly and beautiful.

A reluctant Northam finds himself in the position of having to evict a long standing cult from a fabulous piece of real estate. He is amazed to find a group of people who seem to be happy to live within on the edges of society, who are happy with their own company but happy to use the world around them from nature to people as they see fit. As he is drawn into their world he finds that he can only be the agent of its destruction.

It's a theme which in many ways was covered a little more successfully in 'Pleasantville' and in countless films about rain forests. Working better in this film is the theme of the outsider in society - the twist being how much like them we would like to be. Years before 'The Matrix' we have people in long black coats striding arrogantly through their landscape, through city parks and the inner city. The bystanders look on with a mixture of discust and envy.

Richardson offers an enigmatic performance, as do the other 'are you in it too?' members of the tribe. Like Northam we don't know who they are and its at only very infrequent moments that we see the cracks below their reserve. By offering such understated performances, we find ourselves trying to reflect into them. Our imaginations try to work out their former lives.

Whilst we know the ending is innevitable, like the lead character we are happy to be taken along for the ride . . .

This film is about a concept which most people don't tend to think about: how could a group of people isolate themselves from surroundings which they don't like and manage to lead a paradisiac life? Admittedly the story is sometimes a bit silly, but if you complain about these things you're missing the point, which is about how willing people might be to leave their current life, job, wife, etc. I really liked this film, and it's a shame it's not available to buy.

The Tribe, without a doubt is a fantastic piece of screenplay. I think drama's of this quality are few and far between and all concerned in its creation, including actors / actresses should take pride in the work that has been produced and directed masterfully. Despite numerous emails to the BBC in London, they still declare that they have no plans to release this work either as video or DVD media. This is such a shame for now we are bound to have to wait for the repeat which may never come.

I'm slightly more in favour of summing this film up as stylish art than I am of condemning it as pretentious crap. There is some good camera work, good editing, and occasionally an evocative mood. There are some good performances, but film does have its limitations - it's a TV movie, but a good one.

If the central theme of the film is the tension surrounding those who dare to be different and their rejection by society then it is hardly surprising that by siding with them the film attracts negative comments. Or it may be that it is just crap. Except the BBC don't make crap films. We may not like what they do, but the production quality, scripts, etc. are always excellent.

So I'll come out in favour. It may not be high art, but at least it's got style and something to say.

Intelligent and thoughtful, this tv play tackles the difficult and complex problems raised by religious and other cults, the way they isolate their members from the outside world and build barriers around themselves to prevent intrusions. It's subtle, especially in comparison with a recent film with Kate Winslett on the same subject, perhaps too subtle in its ironic substitution of material goods for spiritual: this cult is capitalist, selling electrical goods rather than religious dogma. But although the comments here already show that this is a provocative and controversial film, I wanted to record my own positive reaction to it: I found it valuable and challenging - and it's not only the lovely Anna Friel who disrobes; there's an early sighting of all of the increasingly splendid Jonathan Rhys-Myers to enjoy. If you can get sight of it, I think this is worth viewing.