I bought the BFI rerelease Blu-ray (which apparently came out earlier this year) yesterday not knowing much about the movie other than it being one of Tilda Swinton's earliest roles and the cover looked suitably sci-fi. What I got was something else entirely.

The blurb describes Tilda Swinton's character Friendship as "an extraterrestrial... on a peace mission to Earth" who accidentally lands in war-torn Jordan in 1970 before meeting a Scottish war correspondent called Sullivan. I assumed then that it would begin with the two of them meeting for the first time and go from there but this doesn't happen. They have already met and are friends when the movie starts. This was the first sign I was in for a different kind of story than I bargained for.

If I had to describe what this film feels like, I'd say it feels like watching a stage play with one set. There's little in the way of immediate action or an overarching story to speak of, it's mainly Friendship and Sullivan talking to each other in their respective hotel rooms as we move through the month of September. Friendship talks about the things they've seen since arriving on Earth and world weary Sullivan talks about human nature. This is presented in a way similar to a historical documentary with very slight story elements scattered here and there. We will have a scene where the two talk while gunfire erupts outside and then it'll fade to black and the next scene in a different part of the hotel room will begin. This film puts a lot onto the shoulders of the actors to carry it through and thankfully they deliver.

At least Tilda Swinton does, she makes you believe in what she's saying and that she's from another world. Bill Paterson feels like he's reading from the script while he's performing. His performance consists of him drinking Whiskey, talking about territory and being somewhat interested in Friendships background.

There's a scene later on in the movie that has a peculiar payoff where Sullivan steals some of Friendships translator equipment (which are in the shape of long hexagon cylinders) and they begin to emit noise while he's trying to sleep. He gets Friendship and admits he took them, and Friendship gives one to him to keep as a gift. Later on, Sullivan's daughter at home takes Friendships translator device and has it translated to videotape (somehow. I'm not sure. It was just a solid red cylinder before. Who did she take it to?) and we see what Friendship's impression of Earth was in the end, which is quite vague.

I can't lie and say that I was totally invested watching this film, as often it felt like people talking without any purpose, but it is unique and carried by a great performance by Tilda Swinton. It's an interesting movie, and has a weird place now on my shelf.

1970. During the conflict between Jordan and Palestine, a girl appears right in the middle of the battle. She gets rescued by a British journalist who writes about the events there. The girl's name is Friendship, and she reveals that she is an android who was sent to Earth by the extraterrestrial machine civilization to help humans survive as a biological species. She was supposed to land near some scientific institution in USA, but ended up in Jordan by mistake. So, she learns about the humanity through the events happening around her and through conversations with the journalist, and is really surprised to find out that humans are so reckless about the gift of life which they don't seem to appreciate at all.

The movie is very very low budget. The whole story takes place within one room of a Jordanian hotel. The cast is only 5 people, two of whom are main characters, and 3 remaining ones are extras whose faces we can't even see.

So what is so special about this movie? Friendship is played by Tilda. Tilda Swinton. She is very young here, only 27. She would rise to international fame only in her forties. But God, how amazingly beautiful she is there! The way she carries herself! How reserved and aristocratic her movements are! So you are likely to just admire her during the whole movie, believe-my-word.

Her outfits which she changes every 5 minutes deserve special attention. These are the costumes of different cultures and different ethnic groups. And it seems that she gets the taste of humanity by wearing every new costume.

We won't see her death, just hear about it. The journalist manages to get her the UK visa to leave with him, but she decides to stay in Jordan because she's more needed there while the world is not yet ready to accept the new reality she offers. And even in her death, she finds the way to make someone happy by letting them use her passport. The ultimate act of sacrifice.

So, is it friendship. Not love, that is destined to save our world? Perhaps, there is something in this.