User Reviews

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.

Normally I'd regard the critical mindset that a film is crap, but at least actress XYZ gets naked in it, as prehistoric, sexist bilge. But, for this one, I'll make an exception. Talented people (Eve, Costigan, Richardson) ambling about like zombies for two wasted hours. The BBC sat on this for about two years, then marketed it in a cold, calculating manner with tantalizing shots of Ms Friel about to disrobe. And disrobe she does. Pert, firm, frisky, if a little skinny for my tastes. Sorry, but if the script and/or direction was any better, we might not have had to go down this alley... Was Jeremy Northam actually PAID for his performance?

What exactly is the point being made here? Is it that walking around in a group wearing dark clothing, eating insects for tea, sleeping with multiple partners both female and male, living as a communion in a grotty abandoned building and spending the day flogging knocked-off phones is a good way to live? If it is, then Mr Poliakoff doesn't set out his argument well... There are so many character shifts, contradictions and inconsistencies here, I got the feeling he was making it up as he went along. He has at his disposal a cast of brilliant British actors (And Anna Friel) and gets them to behave like ninnies for 100 minutes, with the odd nudie shot thrown in. In fact, I could just delete this whole review, and sum it up in two words: 'Pretentious Twaddle'. Now why didn't I think of that before... 3/10

Oh come on Leon! So if this film sides with a 'subversive' group of people it will naturally attract derision from mainstream critics. What a naive and childish viewpoint! This film deserves slating because it is absolute rubbish, in spite of Poliakoff's previous achievements. The plot, story and characters were unrealistic (the film aspired to be 'realist') and the dialogue was flat and vacuous. Literally all the performances, by a normally talented cast, were as flat as a fart. I'm sure this is one creation Stephen Poliakoff will be glad to flush down the toilet.

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.

Personally, I think a vote of 1 for this film is generous. The acting was poor and the story was absolutely crap. As a bloke the only part of it worth watching was seeing Anna Friel starkers.

The film was set in some dystopian present yet was full of eighties bilge about computers taking over the office, the working-class being a load of car stealing thugs etc. I can't say any more as the programme was so bad it is impossible to find any of its content worth commenting on, except for Anna Friel's gorgeous body. How on earth did this garbage get an average vote of 4.9? Well I suppose the film will be forgotten in the dustbin of TV history.

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 . . .

In a time when T.V programmes are either shoddy new ideas or made-over remakes of old classics it's nice to see something fresh, controversial and brilliant. The `Tribe' is probably the finest, original and engaging T.V film drama to make it's way on to our T.V screens in years. Written and directed by one masterful Stephen Poliakoff, the man behind such classics as, among others, the T.V series `Shooting the Past' and the excellent film ` Close my eyes', here comes the greatest, and sadly winner of no awards, T.V film of 1998. The `tribe' has one rare thing most T.V films now lack, a decent script. It's with this script he helps paint his vivid image of an underworld of modern suburbia in which a bizarre cult live, oblivious to the decaying and messed up world around them. They create their own world with their own rules to which Jamie has to learn to accept before he can even begin to understand them and their ways. It is also through Poliakoff's beautifully handled direction which he helps to create his dream like world where fantasy and fiction more often than not collide and slowly merge in to one. It is also in Poliakoff's use of a `Lock, Stock' style yellow filter which helps enforce the films dream like narrative and gives the film a feel which can only be compared to Stanly Kubricks final master work `Eyes Wide Shut'. But it is really down to the acting which really bring Stephen Poliakoff's film to life. Jeremy Northam and Anna Friel turn in excellent performances as usual as the property developer and the girl who seduces him. But it's Joely Richardson's `tour de force' performance which really steals the show. Her character is complex, powerful yet physically naked as we see what her real life is like outside of the one she created. She lives with her mother and father who couldn't really care less about her. It is for this reason she has created her own world where the troubles of everyday life are non-existent. The whole cult live in the centre of a big city yet are so detached from the other people who in-habit the city they feel truly free.This can be seen in the hippie symbolism at the beginning of the film. It is because of these such deep and complex story lines that I feel Stephen Poliakoff is the second greatest person working on T.V today, the first being Chris Morris. As this film was never released on tape means it is hard to find. But it is worth checking out if you can get hold of a copy as you will be in for a real treat.

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.

Stephen Poliakoff is a true genius and this is him at his best. The Tribe, in my opinion, succeeds on many levels. On one level it is a simple tale of seduction and cultural repression but on the other hand it can be seen as a statement for the state of society today. It represent what society does to those people who seem different towards them. They are no threat towards anyone but as they decide to go their own way in life the rest of the world seem to feel that they need to do something about them. Poliakoff's use of startling colours and majestic sweeping settings help to create a world which is the one we live yet so distant and alien like it doesn't seem to have any connection to ours at all. I feel this is one of the greatest T.V programmes of all time and highly underrated for what it is. As the BBC never felt fit to release this on any format, in any country it is very hard to get hold of. But it is worth checking out if you can lay your hands on a copy.

I enjoyed the movie a lot. Its an interesting take on how people can and/or do view society, as opposed to how they can/do act on that.

Not sure why I have to write 10 lines of text, guess this is why I haven't written many reviews. Is that 2?

Fitting, however, certainly the theme of the movie is conformity and its a fascinating theme for me.

Its a thinking movie, I gave it an 8.

Hate to give away anything, watch it, decide for yourself! That 10 lines yet?

Guess not. The movie is a take on counter-culture vs. mainstream, IMO, it was intelligent enough to hold my interest and I enjoyed it.

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.

I really liked this. It was really nice to see so refreshingly different. I thought it was interesting to explore how such a 'tribe' such as that featured in the film might survive in todays world and how they would work to stand together and overcome intolerance and fear of others who refuse to understand or live and let live. Also good to see such great British actresses as Laura Fraser and Anna Friel on our screens.

I feel this movie was an unusual look at tolerance, greed and peolpe's willingness to stick by each other, and how outside influences can kill a tribe , much like the missionaries did to the native populations in certain areas of the world.

I found this production very thought provoking, the acting may not have been the best around but the story line and underlying messages which could be gained were very strongly felt. I would certainly like to watch this again.