Jim Jaramusch – Paterson – Review

Jim Jaramusch is an interesting filmmaker. His body of work and subject matter is diverse, as Dead Man, (1996) to Broken Flowers (2003). Paterson (2016) is different than all his past projects, and surprisingly unique, because it captures the subtleties of the human condition in subtle forms, revealing the beauty of simplicity, in the everyday.

Paterson (Adam Driver) is a bus driver living in Paterson, New Jersey. He lives with his wife Laura (Golshifteh Farahani), and their bull dog (Marvin) in a modest home, walking distance to the bus depot where Patterson works.

The film is a series of 7 vignettes, representing each day of the week. We see Paterson wake each morning with aid of his “magical watch”, (his wife's reference later in the film) rise, eats his cereal, and are introduced to the voice of Paterson, composing a poem for the day. These poems were originally written by Ron Padgett, closely echoing the cadence and form of the American Poet, William Carlos Williams. Deceptively simple, and deep in meaning, (like the film) William's poems captured the vastness of existence in a single line about a fruit, like a plum, or a broken shoelace on an old shoe. We see Paterson walk to work everyday, composing a love poem, exploring the particular, while representing a higher state of observations about life and love.

Throughout his day, Paterson overhears his passengers conversations; from the history of Anarchy in the city of Paterson, to a amusing exchange between two young men, and their close calls with meeting women, without truly committing or telling the whole truth. Also part of Paterson's routine is to walk Marvin after work, and stop off at his local pub, to have his one beer, and catch up on the cities latest gossip. Life's obvious banalities such as a long marriage, or love that is not reciprocated, turns out to be most everybody's experience in life at one time or another. Paterson returns home to sleep and the next day begins again.

Paterson's wife Laura is a lovable character with dreams of getting rich from her special cup cakes, and following her destiny to be a country singer. Laura loves her husbands poems and reminds him everyday how wonderful they truly are. Their relationship is sensitive and loving, as Paterson eats her 'creative' dinners, (without letting on) and supporting her dreams. The scene where she plays “Home on The Range”, her first learned song on the guitar is precious, and should have had more nods from the film community. Golshifteh Farahani is a wonderful actor.

Over the years after viewing Jaramusch's films, it is necessary to view them more than once, to discover the hidden gems, like Easter eggs, that only adds to the overall meaning of his films.

Certainly, I came away from the film feeling better about my life, a reminder that my life can be meaningful without the drama, without “making mountains out of molehills”, that merely to be here and now is enough to feel the miracle of existence.

If you ever once had a love for poetry, or once had to read it in school, perhaps, after seeing this film, you'll want to return to poetry. It's that kind of inspiring film.

It was for me.