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Down by Law (1986)
Tom Waits, John Lurie, Roberto Benigni. Directed by Jim Jarmusch.
In Down by Law, Zack and Jack (Tom Waits and John Lurie) are set up in separate crimes and find themselves in the same cell in a New Orleans prison, and if that thought upsets them very much, neither of them shows it. We know very little about either, but we know enough to guess they’ve probably gotten away with a lot more than whatever they’ve been nailed for. Jack is a bit more talkative. Zack is standoffish. Neither is very fond of the other and each would likely do his time and return to his less-than-virtuous life, this period of incarceration just a little episode in each convict’s colorful storybook.
But six months (or so) into their sentences, they are joined by Roberto (Roberto Benigni in his first American film), a social catalyst, a talkative, needy Italian who has killed a man in a fight over cards. “Bob” becomes the glue that holds the trio together and is the one who plans their escape.
Director Jim Jarmusch admits that his film doesn’t have much of a story, that he’s far more interested in characters and setting, and his appreciation for the actors (for whom he specifically wrote these roles) allows them to shine, each in a different way. Waits is especially interesting, but a film centered on his character might get tiresome. It’s Benigni’s exuberance, earnestness, and energy that move and carry the film.
I have to say that most of the things I find annoying about lots of Hollywood pictures are completely absent here: I still find the score intrusive, but at least it doesn’t try to tell me how to feel. Jump cuts serve to give different angles of the same scene, not to give us the point of view of any one character, giving the entire film a voyeuristic feeling that just makes more sense, not only for this movie but for most movies. There isn’t a single point-of-view camera angle in the whole film, much to my satisfaction.
Something else I really enjoy about Jarmusch’s style here is the way he frames his shots, giving the New Orleans backdrop such an interesting look that the characters in the film seem like subjects in a painting. This is a great film to look at, and somehow Jarmusch doesn’t allow the fascinating scenery to distract from his characters.
Without giving away the end, I’ll say that Jarmusch handles the resolution of this story with surprising positivity, something I wasn’t expecting since most of these prison-break films are either overly sentimental or loudly triumphant, and neither of those treatments would have worked for this movie. The director avoids being syrupy but still gives us a satisfying conclusion, a pleasant ending for a really enjoyable picture.
8/10 (IMDb rating)
86/100 (Criticker rating)
Tom Waits, John Lurie, Roberto Benigni. Directed by Jim Jarmusch.
In Down by Law, Zack and Jack (Tom Waits and John Lurie) are set up in separate crimes and find themselves in the same cell in a New Orleans prison, and if that thought upsets them very much, neither of them shows it. We know very little about either, but we know enough to guess they’ve probably gotten away with a lot more than whatever they’ve been nailed for. Jack is a bit more talkative. Zack is standoffish. Neither is very fond of the other and each would likely do his time and return to his less-than-virtuous life, this period of incarceration just a little episode in each convict’s colorful storybook.
But six months (or so) into their sentences, they are joined by Roberto (Roberto Benigni in his first American film), a social catalyst, a talkative, needy Italian who has killed a man in a fight over cards. “Bob” becomes the glue that holds the trio together and is the one who plans their escape.
Director Jim Jarmusch admits that his film doesn’t have much of a story, that he’s far more interested in characters and setting, and his appreciation for the actors (for whom he specifically wrote these roles) allows them to shine, each in a different way. Waits is especially interesting, but a film centered on his character might get tiresome. It’s Benigni’s exuberance, earnestness, and energy that move and carry the film.
I have to say that most of the things I find annoying about lots of Hollywood pictures are completely absent here: I still find the score intrusive, but at least it doesn’t try to tell me how to feel. Jump cuts serve to give different angles of the same scene, not to give us the point of view of any one character, giving the entire film a voyeuristic feeling that just makes more sense, not only for this movie but for most movies. There isn’t a single point-of-view camera angle in the whole film, much to my satisfaction.
Something else I really enjoy about Jarmusch’s style here is the way he frames his shots, giving the New Orleans backdrop such an interesting look that the characters in the film seem like subjects in a painting. This is a great film to look at, and somehow Jarmusch doesn’t allow the fascinating scenery to distract from his characters.
Without giving away the end, I’ll say that Jarmusch handles the resolution of this story with surprising positivity, something I wasn’t expecting since most of these prison-break films are either overly sentimental or loudly triumphant, and neither of those treatments would have worked for this movie. The director avoids being syrupy but still gives us a satisfying conclusion, a pleasant ending for a really enjoyable picture.
8/10 (IMDb rating)
86/100 (Criticker rating)