"That's a nice-a donut."

Sunday, February 12, 2006


Broken Flowers (2005)

Broken Flowers is probably indie director Jim Jarmusch's first and only widely accessible film. That is, in part, due to the fact that it stars familiar face and ever-likeable comedian Bill Murray. Of course it is still very much from the independent vain, so don't many explosive or popcorn-friendly situations.

In the film Murray is Don Johnston (with a "t"), successful middle-age man, recently single after his latest flame (Julie Delpy) leaves. Soon thereafter though, he receives an anonymous letter. It is typewritten and purports to be from an ex-girlfriend of his. The writer informs him that they had a son together about 20 years ago, and that the child is on a search for him. Don's friend and neighbor Winston (Jeffrey Wright) becomes very excited about this potential spark to their normal routines and encourages Don to solve the mystery and find the son first. The only problem is that he has no idea who the mother is (or if the letter is even legit). After narrowing the possibilities down to four women (played by Sharon Stone, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, and Tilda Swinton), he begrudgingly sets off on a journey that could very well be a life-changing destiny or perhaps just a cruel farce.

It is very interesting how Jarmusch contrasts the reactions and lives of each of the four women. There is a wide range and variety in the exes themselves - their personalities and careers - as well as their current homes and situations. The scenes where Don visits Laura (Sharon Stone's character) are definitely the funniest in an otherwise low key movie - and probably the most-satisfying for Don too. The humor is generally droll, and the pace deliberate, but it moves along rather briskly.

Murray is good, though, frankly, his older more "mature" roles in recent years are getting a little repetitive. He has come to excel at being the older man going through some sort of mid-life funk ...with not a lot of range in outward emotion. That's not to say that he's turned into someone like Bruce Willis, who shows little inward emotion either. But, well, something a little more outrageous like one of his classic bits would certainly welcome be a welcome change. Though I imagine he'll never get his long-needed Oscar if he takes that advice.

Some of the logic in the movie is a bit of a stretch, but isn't a problem if you play along. The title relates to sort of an ongoing theme in the movie, involving a vase of flowers back at Don's house and flowers that he gives to each of the women, but that's nothing more than an attempt to be pseudo-high brow. That doesn't really matter though. Broken Flowers fits nicely into the solo road trip genre, where the principal is always on a search for something ...to find someone, something, or themselves - possibly all three.

The Verdict: B

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