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Canberra Today 15°/18° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Review / ‘Paterson’ (M) ** and a half

IN the iconography of the last three decades of American cinematic style, Jim Jarmusch holds a unique place. Defining what puts him there is not easy. 

Paterson and Laura from “Paterson”.

The authorship of his films is palpable but the reason for that is not. His films are what he feels like making. I’m sure that he considers their box-office performances to be important. But they show little sign to the film-goer of any great urge to become rich from them.

Paterson” is something of an enigma. Nothing happens in it. But things are going on. Its location is the town of Paterson, New Jersey but the city’s influence on the story is negligible. One of the drivers of its municipal bus fleet is Paterson (Adam Driver) who lives in a suburban cottage with Laura (Iranian actress Goldshifteh Farahani) and Marvin, a male bulldog played by Nellie. 

Paterson’s day begins at 6.10am. It’s predictable. Roll over in bed, caress Laura gently without waking her, get dressed, eat a bowl of froot loops, walk to the depot – no bus is yet running to take him there – and start driving. He doesn’t seem to be on a time table.  He doesn’t collect fares. During trips he observes passengers and their behaviours. Between trips, he takes out his note-book and writes short poems about small things. Walk home, after dinner walk Marvin, tie him to the light post outside the tavern, have a couple of beers, walk home. And so to bed.

At home, Laura does creative things with paint. Or fabric. Or in the kitchen. Her enthusiasms seem to have little direction. Her favourite paints are black and white. There’s a market on Saturday. Let’s make a big bunch of cupcakes with black frosting embellished with white decoration and sell them. Guess how much I made? $280. Let me take us to dinner and a movie.

Paterson sits on a park bench. A Japanese man joins him. He too is a poet, visiting Paterson, the city, to take in the environment where one of his favourite poets lived. He gives Paterson a blank notebook and leaves. Paterson writes a short poem that ends with a quotation from the Oscar-winning song that Bing Crosby sang in “Going My Way”.

It’s a film about people living lives of their choosing. There’s no violence, sex, conflict. Think about it.

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Dougal Macdonald

Dougal Macdonald

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