Review of Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) by Michael S — 14 Feb 2014

It's been a long, long time since Jarmusch has made a movie. Four years almost since 'The Limits of Control'. His last film conveyed a sense of a man on a mission while us, the viewer, watches him. Kind of like a different version of the 1929 silent film 'Man with a Movie Camera'. Here, Jarmusch explores the realm of vampires.

Adam & Eve are vampires. They have been separated for a very long time. They're immortal and have seen it all. Floods, Plagues, you name it. Adam now is an underground Musician in decaying Detroit who has become suicidal over the state of the world he is in and for living so long. He calls forth from one of his zombies (that's what they refer to human beings) a wooden bullet and must make a decision on whether or not to take his own life. His lover Eve has retreated in hiding, hopefully awaiting the return of Adam. She makes the flight to him, to quell his troubled soul. Their reunion is poetic for since these lovers left alive have only each other to depend on.

They can only go out at night, sleep all day. Talk about music and their long history. Sex and blood flavored popsicles. It all seems like eternity and it is. So nothing special between these two other than their love for each other. That is until dreams of Eve's sister Ava being to invade their courtship.

Ava (very beautiful might I add) is a trouble maker.They arrive home one night to find her lounging on the couch while music blares. The dreams Adam & Eve were having of Ava were more of a call or message to let them know that she will be showing up. She raises hell for these two, testing their boundaries and drinking up all their blood.

Jarmusch isn't too concerned with story, never was if you're familiar with his work. He dwells nicely in the atmosphere department giving us a beautifully photographed vampire tale with some great music. I love it when a film such as this is made simply to be watched at a certain time of day, like for example midnight.

Aside from being well-photographed, it's also funny in a subtle way. Much of the film never felt too serious other than the dreary setting it's based on. Vampires and the genre are very overdone as of late. Just like zombies, but here it's taken into a more mature area like in what was done in 'Let the Right One In'.

Overall, to be viewed at midnight.