I saw Jim Jarmusch's "Paterson" at the Cannes Film Festival back in May, but it still lingers in my mind. Its hypnotic, moody atmosphere is unique and the masterful direction by Jarmusch possibly a career best. The film is a poetry of people, places, lives that seem superfluous and without much purpose. In Jarmusch's world people come and go, words gets written down and erased, but there always exists memory. It raises it glass to the small details in life, those that we take for granted.
The film is set in Paterson, New Jersey - home of Lou Costello and Poet Carlos Wiilliams!- and takes place in the span of seven days in the life of -the aptly named- Paterson, as played by Adam Driver, a bus driver that leads a simple life and takes refuge in writing poetry about the smallest things imaginable. He eavesdrops through conversations, take inspiration through family and friends and his partner Laura, as played by Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani, herself a creative mind that turns their home into a layered, almost manically, labyrinth of stripes and matching colors.
They both accept each other, flaws and all, like any true-to-life couple would. They defy their ordinariness by creating art and supporting each other the best way they can. It's a beautiful dissection of a relationship that could very well be your own. The film is an ode to the art of creating anything. Art is a powerful medicine for the soul and Jarmusch knows that very well having made his own cinematic medicine since his groundbreaking debut feature "Stranger Than Paradise" shook up the independent film movement in 1984.
"Paterson" is quietly affecting and contemplative enough to blow your mind in certain sequences. This is a film about people that are not materialistic, not influenced by money. They ride like freewheelin' artists through life's necessities but stamp it with their own, unique mark. It is such an important movie for our times that it makes you appreciate every second, every moment of your absurdly mysterious life.
The film is a stylistic departure for Jarmusch, it is also his most personal film. It has to be. Here is a risky endeavor for an artist that has taken his fair share of risk-taking leaps. In "Paterson" he takes nothingness, the most mundane details imaginable, a white canvas and fills it with such artistry and magical elegance to take your breath away. It is not only a wise film, but also a lovely one as well. A career peak if you will.
The short version: "Woman Unknown" was a compromise. The jury deadlocked over "Possible Love" and "NAZA," not able to com to terms, fell back on their #3, May el-Toukhy's film.