Review of Night on Earth (1991) by Rob P — 18 Jun 2009
Anthology pic, equal parts served and slighted by the minimalism involved. Screenwriting was never Jarmusch's strong suit, and the first (LA) episode is an embarassment. Things get better as we travel east, but in NY it's Esposito's screen presence that keeps you watching.
European characters are more human in Jarmusch's universe, and the Paris and Helsinki episodes partially succeed in overcoming the limits of the formula. Great static framing shots of each locale, location scouts did their homework, and there's a hint of the transcendental in the taxi transitory, but it reads as an exercise.
Middling Tom Waits effort as well.
This review of Night on Earth (1991) was written by Rob P on 18 Jun 2009.
Night on Earth has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
