Review of Stranger Than Paradise (1984) by Chris W — 17 May 2013

Considering that I have ADHD, it's a wonder that I'm able to sit through films that are slow paced and sometimes devoid of plot. I can't make it through every film like this, but if there's things going on I like in a film like this, then yeah, I can get through it. This applies to this one here.

In a way, I can sort of relate to the characters: they are bored, rootless, and don't really do much of anytihing, yet they are interesting people to watch, even if we don't really know much about them. The music, clothes, sets, and sparse conversations they have contribute to this. I found my self really hypnotized by this film.

The performances are terrific, and if they weren't, then this film really would be a failure. Everything hinges on the understated nuanced acting the three leads (two of them being non actor musicians). The carmera work is also nice. I got so caught up in just looking at stuff that I almost forgot that virtually all of the film is made up of long takes.

This is a nice little curiousity. I need to see more of Jarmusch's work before I can really comment on it, but, based on the others of his I've seen, this is not too far removed from his later stuff.