Review of Broken Flowers (2005) by Drew S — 01 Nov 2008

Broken Flowers is such a fantastically well-written movie, at least if you forgive it a couple of excesses, like the constant Don Juan references and the young girl who attempts to seduce Bill Murray named Lolita of all things. They're very out-of-place in a screenplay that is otherwise subtle. Broken Flowers's narrative is a disparate mix of tones, inserting Murray into all sorts of emotional zones over the course of his search, and his deadpan performance makes the perfect foil for it all. There are times in the film where he would have a smile so tiny that I didn't even know if it was actually intentional, but it made me laugh nonetheless. The attentive viewer will find a lot to love about his Don.

Jim Jarmusch's story also allows him to trot out a handful of great actresses in glorified cameos, all of them nailing their roles with great success. An unrecognizable Tilda Swinton has a massive impact with just four lines; Frances Conroy speaks volumes with her downplayed, dead-in-the-eyes, "happily married" real estate agent. Seeing the various miseries of all these women in his life is a fantastic way for Jarmusch to put life into perspective for Don, a motif that plays into the ending very intelligently. Why did someone put him up to this journey? The movie makes its suggestions, but ultimately, we are left to our own devices.

Broken Flowers is a fine contribution from Jarmusch, one that washed Mystery Train from my palate and has encouraged me to finish Ghost Dog. The man has a way with film, this sort of elegiac white trashiness...it's fascinating. Art imitating life in the strangest of ways.