Review of Stranger Than Paradise (1984) by Grant P — 03 Jun 2008

Stranger than Paradise is most certainly a minimalist film, shot with a low budget in black and white with protracted silences and single shot sequences that fade to black. But to declare something minimalist is almost to call it "lazy" and "ineffective," and those are two words that Stranger than Paradise ain't.

Actually, this film is misleadingly exact where a study of nothingness reveals the significance of everything. This is incredibly difficult to do, but I obviously trusted Jim Jarmusch walking in and still believe this after viewing.

Jarmusch always likes to include miscommunication through language, and of course that is present here if only briefly. Again, as usual, the character study rather than a dramatic plot is prioritized. (It's Beatnik-like). Most of the amusing bits in the film do nothing to further events mainly because it doesn't purport to go anywhere even though the characters are nomadic and consequently each chapter takes place in a different part of the United States.

I'll close with some insightful comments from IMDB user MovieMan0283part2: "All the comparisons being drawn are with other indie films, all of which came after this one. What about the film's antecedents? It's impossible to miss the Ozu connection if you've seen any of his films. The film comes out of a long tradition of minimalism, with antecedents in the Beat movement, Zen Buddhism, and the run-down punk/post-punk aesthetic of the late 70's, early 80's. I don't think it's necessary to be familiar with all these things to enjoy the movie but if you see the film and are confused about why it was made the way it was, it might not be a bad idea to look into the past.

It annoys me when people criticize the movie from a subjective standpoint (which is fine; as stated, it's not for everyone) and then try to make this personal reaction into an aesthetic critique. Actually, the movie is extremely well-controlled (it has to be, without coverage) and there's an exquisite precision in the way each shot is framed and how long it is held. Obviously, Jarmusch learned from the best (see Ozu again, above). If you're at all interested in film as an artistic medium, as a potential filmmaker, critic, historian, or just as someone who's interested, you should try to figure out why this film works for so many people.".