The War Zone

I searched high and low for this movie, and it was worth it. I saw it quite a while ago, and am doing this from memory and some internet research, but I remember it well enough.

The War Zone is a 1999 'drama' film written by Alexander Stuart. Like a lot of good movies, its based on a book, also written by Alexander Stuart. It's the first film of Actor turned Director Tim Roth (I have to admit I came across this due to my rabid obsession of him). It employs two untrained and unknown teens for the lead roles, and boasts the talents of Tilda Swinton and Ray Winstone.

Summary/Spoilers:

An English family moves from the city to the country. The teenage son, who's maladjusted to begin with, is emotionally troubled by this. The film begins with the family driving to the hospital with the mother in labor. They crash on the way and the mother gives birth to a baby girl. So while their mother is in the hospital, the boy witnesses incestuous acts between his teenage sister and his father. His sister doesn't even flinch when he tells her. She sluts around town for a bit just to show her bro how little she cares, but of course she's all torn inside (take that as you will). The son stumbles upon his dad and his sister doing it some more in the backyard bunker. Like a good son, he tattle-tells to his mom, which just throws everything into megafuck mode. There's a confrontation during which the father never admits to it. Finally the guy loses his shit and just rams a cleaver in his old man.

Thoughts:

The War Zone is famous for its depiction of incest, and rightfully so. If there is one word I use to describe this film, its BLUNT. The language, the landscape, everything about it was stark, dark and raw consistently throughout. The family's bodies are exposed so comfortably, making the rape scenes all the more harrowing. The topic itself is unpalatable enough, yet Tim Roth holds nothing back, and depicts the act in its full intensity. Pretty ballsy for a first film, but that's why I love the man.

The acting is superb. Tilda Swinton is an excellent actress. She actually did give birth recently when she filmed the movie, and the guts she must have to expose herself like that on camera. I have only respect for her. Ray Winstone played the father perfectly. A villain, for sure, but he also genuinely cares about his family. I don't hate the guy. I get the same vibe from Lolita's Humbert Humbert. Aside from their sexual deviancy, they are good people, just victims of their own nature. The two kids are superb as well, seeing as neither acted on screen before. The sister, especially, gave a sense of a bratish teen pretending to comprehend and accept more than she actually can.

Like its subject matter, the film is painful and brutal, but its so honest, and rare in its honesty. I love it for that.

TL;DR:

Movie about incest between Father and Daughter. Graphic & angsty. Recommended.

Confrontation scene broke my heart:

Here's a link to the movie. I have no idea how long it'll be up since its Youtube.