Could a film about a hit-man be described as slower than watching paint dry? If Jarmusch has anything to do with it one would expect nothing less. The first Jarmusch movie I ever saw was his latest, The Limits of Control. I watched it in theaters in a small theater in Chicago and it was probably my favorite movie-going experience I have had this year.
The film centers around a lone man moving from cafe to cafe talking to different weirdos who give him a box of matches with esoteric messages written inside. The film was described as an anti-thriller. Our hero occupies much of the screen but little of the soundtrack. He goes long stretches of time without speaking a word. All that is know is that he was payed well for the task he was set out to do and we have a relaxing time seeing him proceed to his ultimate end. Many could be bored by the film if they are looking for a traditional Hollywood experience, but Jarmusch is anything but Hollywood.
Jarmusch made a name for himself with one of the pioneering American independent films Stranger Than Paradise. The film centers around a young New Yorker, Willie, and his cousin from Romania, Eva, who comes to visit. She gets on his nerves but eventually grows on him, just as she is about to leave for Ohio. On a whim Willie and his friend go to save Eva from boredom in Ohio.
Shot in glorious grainy black and white, Stranger Than Paradise establishes Jarmusch’s unique style of eccentric characters, long periods of silence, and beautiful cinematography. Like Kubrick and Tarantino when you watch a few scenes of a Jarmusch film you can immediately tell it is one of his. The films aren’t full of excitement or anything that traditional films have to offer. His films give the viewer something different. It is hard to describe yet it is very relaxing and enjoyable. Jarmusch has truly come up with cinema magic. However his films are not for everyone. If you find yourself bored at any point he may not be your kind of filmmaker. On the other hand if you are willing to give the films a shot you will be pleasantly surprised how much you will enjoy them.
Other Jarmusch films:
Broken Flowers
Coffee and Cigarettes
