Review of The Limits of Control (2009) by Hunter D — 24 Oct 2010
THE LIMITS OF CONTROL has Jarmusch returning to Jean-Pierre Melville territory, doing another film about a spartan-living lone wolf assassin a la LE SAMOURAI. LIMITS OF CONTROL has little in common with GHOST DOG though, apart from the role of the protagonist and the presence of Isaach de Bankole.
LIMITS OF CONTROL is a deliberately repetitive, stripped down experience, with de Bankole's mysterious character having encounters with people that mirror each other, each person monologuing about the memory that lies in art, whether it be musical instruments, paintings, films, etc.
THE LIMITS OF CONTROL is Jarmusch's richest work in color, thanks mostly to Christopher Doyle's vibrant cinematography, but it's also a frustrating experience given the repetitive nature of the film, which is stretched out to nearly two hours.
Almost all of the characters speak in a strange code that speaks to different interests, but everything they say is ultimately the same on a certain level (Bill Murray's character being the only straightforward person in the entire film).
LIMITS OF CONTROL is one I enjoy conceptually, and the vibe it has is one that stays with you. The big issue here, however, is that Jarmusch is a director who talks about how he likes to avoid cliche, and yet THE LIMITS OF CONTROL is one you could easily accuse of indulging in art house cliches, from the deliberately obtuse dialogue to the presence of Tilda Swinton.
Jarmusch is usually hit-or-miss with me, this is one of the first times I've felt a feeling that could be described as "middling.".
This review of The Limits of Control (2009) was written by Hunter D on 24 Oct 2010.
The Limits of Control has generally received mixed reviews.
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