Review of Night on Earth (1991) by Brett C — 01 May 2014

Review In A Nutshell:

I started Jim Jarmusch's filmography with Down By Law, and that film left me kind of disappointed due to it's emotionless and lack of drive during the first half of the film. Though left underwhelmed, I still had faith on Jarmusch as there is something about his style and storytelling that makes me want to come back for more. I came into Night on Earth with small expectations and surprisingly, it succeeded in surpassing it and delivered an experience I wouldn't forget. The film doesn't feature a plot or a even a clear connection or similarities between each of the five storylines, aside from the fact that it tells the story of a cab driver and a passenger. I enjoyed the film all the way through, with each story coming off as beautiful managing to evoke something out of me. Each individual segment explores different themes and I was surprised how much Jarmusch was able to focus on so many and not have the film feel messy and directionless. The film's simplistic and character-centered photography was appealing, and the film's optimistic and sometimes quirky music makes the stories feel light and accessible even when things get dark. The film featured great acting with standout performances from Winona Ryder, Beatrice Dalle, Giancarlo Esposito, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Matti Pellonpaa. Night on Earth is an example of showing what would be down to earth stories and making something significant out of it.