Adam Driver plays the title character in writer-director Jim Jarmusch’s latest, a bus driver with a penchant for poetry.
His name is Paterson, he lives in Paterson, New Jersey, and he sets his folded clothes out every night so he’s good to go in the morning. His wife, Laura (Golshifteh Farahani) aspires to be a country music singer, eagerly awaiting a new guitar the couple can barely afford (Also, it must be noted that she can’t play guitar).
The film offers no substantial plot; it’s simply a snapshot of a normal, pleasant life being led by two people who aspire to create art in their spare time. Jarmusch always does well with these sort of observational stories, and this is no exception.
Driver is terrific here, capping a great year that included Midnight Special and a great performance in the muddled Silence. It’s a funny, sweet performance without him really trying to be funny or sweet. The big events in this movie consist of Paterson taking his bulldog for a walk or meeting a fellow young poet who makes him feel insubstantial.
If you love Jarmusch, you will love this movie.
This article appears in Jan 12-18, 2017.
This is a skimpy, rushed and superficial review which lacks any form of criticism, analysis and depth. There’s no attempt to analyze Paterson’s character or his motivation for writing poetry. There’s no description of the relationship between Paterson and Laura, nor is there any mention of the culmination of events, over an entire week, that explore and define Paterson’s psyche. A devastating loss occurs towards the end of the film, and a beautifully filmed redemption is ultimately realized. Yet this Grimm review stolidly sticks to cliche, formula and ultimately, a contempt of the viewer’s intelligence.
Golly.
Wrong Cinaste.
This review may be somewhat condensed, but it gets the point across, especially to those of us who are fans of Jim Jarmusch. If you want a long, drawn out review, search the internet. I can’t imagine there isn’t one there for you.