Broken Flowers

Rated R

1hr 46mins

Written by Jim Jarmusch

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

Cast

Bill Murray

Sharon Stone

Frances Conroy

Tilda Swinton

Jeffrey Wright

Christopher McDonald

Chloe Sevigny

Jessica Lange

Broken Flowers is written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. You may recognize the name from his collection of short stories revolving around Coffee and Cigarettes. In that movie Bill Murray serves coffee and hangs out with two members of the Wu Tang Clan.

In Broken Flowers Murray plays an aging Don Juan, named Don Johnston who has just been dumped by his girlfriend. That same day Don receives a mysterious pink letter. The letter explains that he has a son, and he may be looking for him. Before you ask, yes Jarmusch does play up the fact that Murray's characters name is similar to former heart throb and Miami Vice star Don Johnson.

After some persuasion from his Ethiopian neighbor Winston, played by Jeffrey Wright, Don decides to venture out and find the ladies he had relationships with 20 years ago.

On his trip Don visits some beautiful middle aged women. The interaction between Don and the women is priceless, as Don searches for clues to who may be the mother of his child.

Broken Flowers continues a trend for Murray as he has been moving into subtle comedies, which deal with interactions between people, more so than overcoming an obstacle or a mental deficiency, e.g. What About Bob.

The film has many moments of Murray sitting in his living room or driving in his car listening to an Ethiopian jazz mix tape provided by Winston. The lack of dialogue gives Jarmusch many opportunties to show off the films amazing cinematography.

Murray’s character seems apathetic throughout the movie. Trying to decipher Murray’s feelings hard because he shows no emotions throughout the movie. His characters' demeanor is reminiscent of Raleigh St. Clair, the character he plays in the Royal Tenenbaums - a Wes Anderson Film. The humor is similar to a Wes Anderson film.

If you like movies with concrete resolutions this one will leave you wanting more. After I left the theater I didn’t know what I thought. I kept thinking about the movie and the ending.

I came up with theories on what really happened at the end. I won’t bore you with my theories, and for the most part I believe the five other people in the theater that night probably came to the same conclusion I did.

After much thought I decided that I enjoyed the movie. I would definitely go see it again. The movie is funny, great cinematography, a funny star-studded cast and a step up for Jarmusch from his last movie. I give the movie four stars out of five.

The Courtesy Reviewer,

Shane Gillespie