BROKEN FLOWERS
US, 2005, 105 minutes, Colour.
Bill Murray, Jeffrey Wright, Sharon Stone, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Tilda Swinton, Julie Delpy.
Directed by Jim Jarmusch.
It is a pleasure both to watch and to listen to this film. With its African rhythmic musical score creating atmosphere, the film combines some serious themes with a light touch. It is often funny, sometimes satirical at American eccentricity, always genial.
After Lost in Translation and The Life Aquatic, we are getting used to Bill Murray being something of an icon of seemingly passive, laconic middle age. While he repeats this performance here, he varies it, often quietly brilliantly, with deadpan reactions to odd situations and simple eye and eyebrow movements that communicate volumes. It is a very clever and well-timed performance.
He is an ageing computer businessman who is compared to Don Juan, although his current girlfriend, Julie Delpy, is walking out on him. Unlike Don Juan, he has the opportunity to visit some of his past women, a quest for some kind of meaning to his life and affairs. He is urged to this by his computer-mad, detective fiction obsessed neighbout, Steven Wright.
These women include Sharon Stone, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange and Tilda Swinton, quite a gallery of memorable performances, each with its sardonic comment on American ways, permissive, uptight, New Age, trailer trash.
Jim Jarmusch has never been so quiet and kindly in his films. It is smart, well-crafted and thoughtful, winner of the Jury Prize, Cannes, 2005.
1. The films of Jim Jarmusch, offbeat, this film as more mainstream?
2. The film as a piece of Americana, the places, travels, people and eccentricities, a search for family?
3. The musical score, the ethnic background, mood?
4. The mid-life crisis, the lost man, remembering his past, no longer present but still influencing him? The consequences and effect? The future and change? Living in the present?
5. The opening credits, the post office, the letter device, the delivery, Don reading it, the later letter and Sherry’s note?
6. Bill Murray’s screen presence, expression and seeming lack of expression, indication of moods, attitudes? Don, his name? Sitting, listening to the music, Sherry leaving and the drama, his not wanting her to go? The television showing The Adventures of Don Juan? His being likened to Don Juan? His blank expression, dozing off, the music, sitting again?
7. Winston and his happy disposition, Mona and the kids, the phone calls, his expertise about computers, Don’s background in building computers? The phone calls, the visits, the meals? Don and his attitude towards Winston’s children, a father figure?
8. Winston and his computer, his interest in detective stories, his being fascinated by the letter, coming over to Don’s place, meeting in the restaurant, the plan – and all his print-outs? A character in himself, phoning Don during the trip, his detail, clues? Dreams and images?
9. Don and his travels, the passengers on the plane and his being situated amongst them, his standing out, their ordinariness, different aspects of ordinariness? The hiring of the cars? The effect of his visits, his questions, trying to discern whether the woman had his son? His observance of the clues and Winston supporting this? The colour pink? The nature of the typewriter and its typeface?
10. The visit to Laura, an old flame, meeting Lolita, the adolescent sexpot, flaunting herself? The discussions with Laura, their respective lives, the meal, spending the night with her, Laura as a pleasant woman – and not the mother of his child?
11. The contrast with the visit to Dora, the prefabricated house, her being very proper, his bringing the flowers, the neatness, her husband, Ron and his geniality? The very fashionable meal – but inedible? Her having plenty of money, a comfortable life, respectability – but no children?
12. Carmen and her secretary, the secretary protecting Carmen? Her profession, communicating with animals? The talking, the books, law, New Age? The talking with the cat? The fun with her various clients? The discussion, memories? Her wanting Don out of her life? Her own daughter?
13. The travelling to Penny, the difficult road, the trailers and life with the trailers, the men and their tough style, Penny and her extreme hostility, bashing Don?
14. The return home, the discussions with Winston, Sherry’s new note?
15. The young man at the airport, Don’s noticing him, presuming that he might be his son? Offering him the sandwich, their talking, sitting in the street, philosophising? The gift? Frightening off the young man?
16. The overall effect of the journey on Don, helping to see his life in perspective, his desires and hopes? A change for him for the future?
