The Tiger's Tail - Review
Review by Jack Foley
IRELAND’‘S rapidly changing identity forms the volatile backdrop for John Boorman’s latest film, a black comedy thriller that ultimately struggles to find a consistent identity of its own.
The Tiger’s Tail works well in confronting Ireland’s shifting landscape (now the richest country in the world per capita) but suffers from a tedious central story populated by characters that are difficult to care about.
Brendan Gleeson stars as Dublin property developer Liam O’Leary who experiences a crisis of identity while struggling to avoid bankruptcy by building a controversial new football stadium.
His life is plunged further into chaos, however, by the arrival of his exact double (also played by Gleeson), who starts posing as Liam at home and at work with sinister consequences.
Boorman is certainly no stranger to tackling complex social issues (The Emerald Forest and The General), or to making audiences feel uncomfortable (Deliverance), but here struggles to find the right balance.
Performance-wise, Gleeson delivers the goods as both Liam and his sinister twin (revelling in the opportunity to play anti-hero and villain), while his real-life son Briain also makes his mark as Liam’s son (and benefits from the obvious connection between them, visually and emotionally).
But while the film seems to be poking fun at its own absurdities at certain points, it then changes tone to include sudden acts of violence that don’t sit at all comfortably with some of its lighter elements. A rape scene, in particular, leaves a bad taste in the mouth, while the trajectory of certain characters doesn’t ring true – especially Liam’s long-suffering wife, Jane, as played by Kim Cattrall.
Boorman prides himself on being a non-conformist, risk-taking director who enjoys keeping audiences on their toes. But while The Tiger’s Tail is far from predictable and ensures viewers will seldom be sitting comfortably, it also feels as mixed up and confused as the culture it depicts.
Politically, it has the potential to open a volatile debate about property and wealth that everyone can relate to – but emotionally it fails to grip and operates in dubious moral territory. For a filmmaker of Boorman’s calibre that’s all the more disappointing.
Certificate: 18
Running time: 107mins