Review of Broken Flowers (2005) by Phil T — 31 Mar 2009

Iâ??ve always liked Bill Murray (not to be confused with Billy Murray, that one off Eastenders and the Bill). Hes a fabulously brilliant character, with amazing wit and sarcasm, whom I first laughed with in Ghostbusters, but then subsequently grew to love in Caddy Shack and absolutely in Groundhog Day (Ned?? THWACKâ?¦). However his straight laced turn in we-donâ??t-know-what-this-movies-about-but-like-it-and-its-got-Scarlet-in (aka Lost in Translation) allowed him to flex some dramatic muscles which we werenâ??t used to seeing from him, following in the footsteps of Robin Williams.

That film won some massive plaudits especially for Murray, who won a BAFTA and was Oscar nominated. Encouraged by this Iâ??m sure, he followed it up in 2005 with this ensemble directed by Jim Jarmusch, who Murray had worked with previously on another ensemble piece, Coffee and Cigarettes in 2003. Broken Flowers sees Murray doing the straight thing again as Don Johnston, a successful man who receives a unsigned note through his door telling him that he has a son and that he has disappeared to look for his father.

Showing said note to his amateur sleuth friend (a strange turn from Jeffrey Wright) Don is persuade to track down 5 of his previous squeezes to see if one of them could have sent the note, looking out for clues based on what they already know. We then follow Don as he turns up with a bunch of flowers to each house where he meets with some wide and varying responses.

Broken Flowers has managed to entice a wonderfully wide and brilliant cast list. Aside from Murray and Wright, it shoehorns in Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Julie Delpy and an almost unrecognisable Tilda Swinton. And to all intents and purposes they make a good hash of it, with Stone probably being the pick of the bunch, although Swinton gives her a good run for her money. Its probably unfair to compare their interaction with Murray though as they are playing vastly different characters, and it is their individual aspects and how it slots in to Johnstons make-up that is the interest in this film.

The theme here is about perceptions, personalities and repercussions. Don has perceived the world, specifically women, in one way for sometime and Broken Flowers follows as he makes realisations as to who these women really are, but more importantly, who he really is. It could have been on a par with LOT, but in having these different women to play up against, none of the stories are allowed to particularly develop to provide a decent emotional tie in. I would also say that while it is thought provoking, it can be fairly dull in places, especially as Don (who must have been as sick of hearing â??Not THE Don Johnsonâ?? as much as I was by the end of the movie) travels from house to house with the aid of a bloody annoying Jazz soundtrack.

Its far from bad, but can be pretty drawn out in places. If the travelling sections had been cut the movie probably would have been about 40mins in length, so is has an unavoidable padded feel to it. Performances are strong though, but I think Murray would be wise to plonk a strong comedic performance in soon just to remind us what heâ??s exceptionally good at. I wonder if theres a â??Please make Ghostbusters IIIâ?? Facebook groupâ?¦â?¦.