Movie No. 10 (2018): PATERSON
Paterson (2016)
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Cast: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Barry Shabaka Henly, William Jackson Harper
Adam Driver is Paterson, a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey. Paterson loves poetry; he himself is a poet. Like the metrics of classic poetry, the movie seems to follow a certain metrics. The movie follows the everyday routine of Paterson. He wakes up as if on cue. He writes poems in front of the wheel before driving the bus out of the garage. He eavesdrop on his passengers while driving. He goes home to his live-in girlfriend who adores him and his poetry. He walks Marvin, a bulldog, who doesn't like him. He goes for a drink, just one mug of beer, in a nearby bar. That's is daily routine. It looks like nothing is happening except when he goes home, he sees changes, which are more of improvement, in the look of their apartment. His girlfriend is an artist in her own way. But, this girlfriend seems to have fixation on black and white and patterns, which are conspicuous on wall paintings, her jazzed up dresses, curtains, and cupcakes. I see this as visual poetry, too. I see the black and white patterns as metaphor for the mundane and routine everyday life or existence of Paterson. It is quite interesting, too, that when certain situation breaks the routine he seems helpless, but always gets over it with the help of strangers.
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Cast: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Barry Shabaka Henly, William Jackson Harper
Adam Driver is Paterson, a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey. Paterson loves poetry; he himself is a poet. Like the metrics of classic poetry, the movie seems to follow a certain metrics. The movie follows the everyday routine of Paterson. He wakes up as if on cue. He writes poems in front of the wheel before driving the bus out of the garage. He eavesdrop on his passengers while driving. He goes home to his live-in girlfriend who adores him and his poetry. He walks Marvin, a bulldog, who doesn't like him. He goes for a drink, just one mug of beer, in a nearby bar. That's is daily routine. It looks like nothing is happening except when he goes home, he sees changes, which are more of improvement, in the look of their apartment. His girlfriend is an artist in her own way. But, this girlfriend seems to have fixation on black and white and patterns, which are conspicuous on wall paintings, her jazzed up dresses, curtains, and cupcakes. I see this as visual poetry, too. I see the black and white patterns as metaphor for the mundane and routine everyday life or existence of Paterson. It is quite interesting, too, that when certain situation breaks the routine he seems helpless, but always gets over it with the help of strangers.
Adam Driver is perfect as Paterson. Farahani gives a strong support performance. Jarmusch has just made a film which will be talked about in the coming years. He has complete control of the movie. He makes you aware that you are watching a visual poetry. Paterson, the movie, is a fitting ode to the ordinariness of things.
Rating: 4.0/4.0
Date seen: February 11, 2018
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