Review of Down by Law (1986) by Kenneth L — 09 Dec 2009
Pretty good, but probably overrated because it was made by Jim Jarmusch, the most indie of indie directors. The three lead performances by Tom Waits, John Lurie, and especially Roberto Benigni are really good.
Waits has such an interesting voice. Unfortunately, Lurie's and Waits's characters are kind of ciphers, without very distinctive personalities. The story and writing basically reminded me of Samuel Beckett - for the most part, characters sit around and talk, and not much really happens.
The prison scenes are pretty funny, especially once Benigni is introduced, but drag on a bit too long. The establishing shots showcase a side of New Orleans that you never really see in the movies, but the setting honestly does not matter all that much.
The random meeting with Nicoletta Braschi at the end did make me pretty happy, and it was interesting to watch the characters build friendships over the course of the movie. Ultimately, though, I feel there is less here than meets the eye, and not all that much meets the eye anyway.
It's fine to watch once, but I don't know if I would watch it again.
This review of Down by Law (1986) was written by Kenneth L on 09 Dec 2009.
Down by Law has generally received very positive reviews.
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